The State Government of Punjab in its press release dated 8th September 2020 has allowed private hospitals/clinics/labs to conduct rapid antigen testing for Covid-19 after empanelment with the district health authorities.
Hospitals are allowed to charge a maximum of Rs. 250 from the patients, in case the kits have been provided by the health department. Earlier, rate of Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) has been reduced for private labs from Rs 1000 to Rs 700 inclusive of GST and other taxes that have been using their own RAT kits.
Further, the private hospitals/labs will follow SoPs for use of RAT kits provided free of cost by the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the hospitals shall have a separate isolated area for the suspected patients of COVID-19 where sample will be taken. The person taking samples will ensure complete Personal Protective Gear. The institution should have an arrangement of biomedical waste management generated by the test as per the guidelines.
It has been clarified that all rapid antigen test results are entered into the ICMR portal using the login ID credentials provided by the health department. For all Asymptomatic High-risk Contact of positive case and symptomatic persons, who are negative by rapid antigen test, another NP/ OP swab to be collected in Virus Transport Medium (VTM) should be sent to the identified real-time RT-PCR laboratory for COVID-19 testing as soon as possible.
Click here to read the Notification.
