Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi lowers cost of PCR tests

All Abu Dhabi government employees who are fully vaccinated must pay to take a monthly PCR test

Powered by automated translation

The cost of PCR tests in Abu Dhabi has been reduced to Dh65.

Nasal swab tests previously cost Dh85 at Abu Dhabi's healthcare clinics and screening centres.

“Please note that the cost of Covid-19 (PCR) test is revised to be Dh65 for single run including collection and testing of the sample,” Abu Dhabi Department of Health said.

“For cases presenting to healthcare facilities with no symptoms or medical indication, costs for the test will be covered by the individual. All other cases are covered.”

Cases that are covered by insurance include people presenting with Covid symptoms and people of determination.

All Abu Dhabi government employees who are fully vaccinated must pay to take a monthly PCR test under the new rules.

The test must be performed every 28 days after they receive their second dose of the vaccine, authorities said earlier this month.

Only those who have the letter E displayed in their Al Hosn app, which can be obtained by performing weekly PCR tests, are exempt from the test.

Government employees who are not fully vaccinated must pay to take a PCR test every week, as was previously the case.

This includes people who have not received the Covid-19 vaccine, those who have received two doses but have not yet completed the 28 day-period waiting for the full effectiveness to kick in and those who have a medical certificate exempting them from taking it.

At the start of the outbreak, the standard price for a PCR test in the UAE was Dh370. This was reduced to Dh250 in September.

A few weeks later, clinics in Abu Dhabi dropped the price to Dh180, while government-run hospitals in Dubai offered PCR nasal swab tests for Dh150. In December last year prices were yet again slashed to Dh85 and then to Dh65.