The Ministry of Health in Oman has revised the costs of COVID-19 tests in private hospitals. It has also waived an additional RO 5 charged on each sample. Earlier tests used to cost RO14 – RO45.
The RT-PCR (costs RO35) uses a nasal swab to detect the virus. The time taken to get the result is over 120 minutes and the report is issued within two to three days.
The Point-of-Care-PCR automated test, which also uses nasal swab, costs RO50. It takes 45 minutes and the report is issued in one day.
The serological test looks for past infections using a blood sample and needs one hour to get the result. The report is issued within two hours for RO15.
The decision assumes significance as countries that open up for travel often insist on PCR tests to avoid mandatory institutional isolation.
Even India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that travellers with a negative Real-Time (RT) -PCR test can seek exemption from the mandatory institutional quarantine.
Egypt too has banned entry into the country without proof of having had a PCR test for the coronavirus from this Saturday.
The test must come back with a negative result no more than 72 hours before entering the country, according to the Egyptian government.
Source: https://www.omanobserver.om/moh-announces-fee-for-covid-19-tests-in-pvt-hospitals/
