The state government will mandate that Covid test reports come not later than 24 hours of samples being given, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar announced on Thursday.
Last September, the BBMP had ordered that private labs taking more than 48 hours for issuing Covid-19 test reports will be fined 10% of the sample test cost. This was applicable only to samples sent by the government.
An RT-PCR test costs Rs 500 if the sample is referred by the government to a private lab. For others seeking tests in a private lab, the RT-PCR test costs Rs 800.
There are, however, challenges such as deploying an adequate number of lab technicians and microbiologists at every Covid testing lab, both private and government, on weekdays and weekends alike, for Covid samples to be processed within 24 hours.
Dr C N Manjunath, state nodal officer for Covid-19 testing, told DH: “The test load of laboratories has increased over the past few days. We have to verify if test reports are being issued within 24 hours. Normally it takes up to 48 hours. There is a penalty clause for those who give reports after 48 hours.”
According to the BBMP bulletin issued on March 25, 58,876 tests were done in the city in the the past 24 hours. “To facilitate contact-tracing, it is best if test reports are given within 24 hours,” Dr Manjunath added.