Mandatory RAT at the entry points in Meghalaya to cost ₹500 from 16 Oct

Oct. 7: With the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) withdrawing subsidy on testing kits, the Meghalaya government has announced that COVID-19 tests will be charged from 16 October onwards. The price for Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) has fixed at Rs.500 & that of RT-PCR test at Rs. 3,200.

The Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya Prestone Tynsong said on Wednesday that the Rapid Antigen Test for COVID-19 will be mandatory for all persons, including visitors to the state at the entry points, for an amount of Rs 500 per person.

Testing, be it RT-PCR, CBNAAT, Truenat or Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), will be done on payment from October 16. BPL families or beneficiaries under National Food Security Act(NFSA) and high risk contacts are totally exempted. Others who have to undergo the RT-PCR, TrueNat and other COVID-19 related tests will have to pay Rs 3,200 per test.

The Deputy CM further said, “We have already created an online facility at www.coronameg.in for those people coming to the state so that they can register for testing before entering Meghalaya.” Tynsong further said that from October 16, food provided to patients at the COVID Care Centres would be charged. Also those willing to go for isolation in hotels and guesthouses will be charged.