The High Court has lauded the Kerala government’s decision to reduce the cost of the RTPCR test amid the rising Covid-19 cases in the state. According to reports, the court also directed that the government could include the RTPCR tests under essential services.
Earlier, the Kerala Government had announced that the cost of the RTPCR test will be brought down from Rs 1,700 to Rs 500 at all private labs in the state. However, according to reports, many such lab owners have said that bringing the price down to Rs 500 is unacceptable. The private hospitals continue to test patients at Rs 1,700 per test.
Later, the private labs moved Kerala High Court against the state government’s decision to slash rates. During the hearing, the state government told the HC that they issued an order reducing the cost of the test.
Meanwhile, according to reports, four lakh doses of the Covishield vaccine will arrive in Thiruvananthapuram at 8.20 pm on Tuesday. The state is facing a vaccine shortage and is yet to begin vaccination for those between 18 and 44 years of age. Reportedly, the state had only 1.5 lakh doses of vaccine left on Tuesday morning. More vaccine doses will arrive in the coming days.
Kerala reported 26,011 new Covid-19 cases and 45 deaths on Monday.
