The government of Meghalaya will be withdrawing free testing of COVID-19 as the Centre has stopped the monetary assistance to procure the testing kits.

Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya Prestone Tynsong said that the COVID-19 tests would be charged Rs. 500 to Rs. 3,200 from October 16.

He further informed that anyone entering the state from October 16 would have to undergo the rapid antigen test mandatorily which would cost Rs. 500.

Others who have to undergo the RT-PCR, TrueNat and other COVID-19 related tests will have to pay Rs 3,200 per test, Tynsong informed.

He further said the names of nine hospitals which will conduct these tests for a fee.

The ICMR and the Centre have stopped providing assistance to States to procure testing kits from July this year and so the State Government has also decided provide free testing for the people, Tynsong said.

However, he said that high-risk patients identified by the district surveillance teams would not have to pay for the tests.

Similarly, BPL families will also not have to pay for the tests.

Moreover, the government will also not provide any food to patients at the COVID care centres (CCCs) would be charged.

The deputy commissioners have been asked to fix the rates of food at the CCCs, he said.

The option of home food is available and anyone wishing to get home food will be allowed at the CCCs, he added.

The DCs have also been asked to convene meetings with hoteliers and guesthouses owners to convert their properties into CCCs where patients will be lodged for a fee.

"Those willing to go for isolation in hotels and guesthouses will be charged. The prices will be fixed by the DCs along with the hoteliers," Tynsong added.