Abu Dhabi lowers price of PCR tests to Dh40

The cost of PCR testing has been reduced across all facilities in Abu Dhabi from March 1

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  Georgia Andrews, 16, gets a PCR test at the Biogenix lab at G42 in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.

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  Imogen, 18, and Georgia, 16, left, both pupils at Cranleigh School, Abu Dhabi, wait to get tested at the Biogenix lab at G42 in Masdar City.

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  Mohammed Almansoori gets his PCR test at the Biogenix lab at G42 in Masdar City.

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  A little girl waits patiently for her turn to be saliva tested at the Biogenix lab in Masdar City.

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  Omar Al Mulla, 3, gives a saliva sample.

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  A mother takes her children, Ryan Al Mulla, 6, and Omar, 3, to have a saliva test at the Biogenix lab at G42 in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.

The cost of PCR testing has been reduced to Dh40 across Abu Dhabi.

The Department of Health Abu Dhabi announced the news on its Instagram page, saying the decision was effective from March 1.

The price of PCR testing has been consistently lowered since the start of the pandemic, when the standard cost was Dh370 per test.

That was reduced to Dh250 in the September of 2020, then to Dh180, and still further to Dh65 in late 2020.

It stood at Dh50 until the most recent change.

Abu Dhabi performs regular mass screening for Covid in workplaces and across the general population.

The Al Hosn green pass system, which permits entry to many public places in the emirate, requires regular PCRs to maintain green status.

The validity of the green pass was reduced from 30 days to 14 at the start of December, when the Omicron wave took hold, meaning people had to test every two weeks.

On Friday, the UAE government said it had begun unwinding many restrictions that had been in place for almost two years as the country recovers from the pandemic.

The decisions ended quarantine for close contacts, replacing it with daily testing for five days, and made face masks optional outside, among other changes.

But the 14 day green pass validity remains.