Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi lowers cost of PCR tests

A man receives Covid-19 vaccine at the MBRU a community mobile health clinic near the Al Waha Community on Nad Al Hamar Road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Three-year-old Omar Al Mulla gets his saliva tested at the Biogenix lab at G42 in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Healthcare workers get sprayed with disinfectants after conducting free PCR test in downtown Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

A sign asking customers to wear mask is seen in a tailor shop in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

A hand sanitizer is placed at the newly opened Al Zahia City Centre in Sharjah. Pawan Singh / The National

Seats are blocked inside the family cinema at Al Zahia City Centre in Sharjah. Pawan Singh / The National

Floor signage for social distancing is seen at the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development Conference in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Pedestrians cross the street in Abu Dhabi on a hazy afternoon. Victor Besa / The National

Commuters get on a bus at Hamdan St. in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

A man wearing a face mask passes by a store in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A stoke keeper arranges the flowers at a Hindu flower shop in Bur Dubai. Reem Mohammed / The National

Staff prepare filter coffee at the One Degree Café in Margham area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A woman walks on the beach on a hazy sandy day in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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.