Has the government made the testing of COVID-19 absolutely free in India? Do you see more numbers showing up as a result?

It is not the government but the Supreme Court which has issued interim directions to make the tests relating to COVID-19 free of cost, irrespective of whether such tests are conducted in approved Government Laboratories or approved private Laboratories. The court has also directed the government to issue necessary direction in this regard. Of course, the interim order is silent on whether private Laboratories conducting free Covid-19 tests would be entitled for any reimbursement of expenses. But that is something the government may have to consider to really scale up testing. The judges pointed that it was unfair asking people to shell out Rs.4500 for screening and confirmation test of Covid-19 at the time of natural calamity like this. The court has observed that charging such a high fee for the test was equivalent to putting millions outside the ambit of testing due to affordability. In this case, the petition had challenged the advisory issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR fixing the testing of COVID-19 at private labs and hospitals at Rs.4500. If that is implemented then we see a sharply higher incidence of testing and also reporting.