THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has set the price for antigen tests in private labs at Rs 625. Private labs charged differently for antigen tests used to diagnose COVID-19 infection.

Even if a person tests positive in the antigen test, the official confirmation of COVID-19 infection is only made after the RT-PCR test. Two tests are carried out in 48 hours and if only the result is positive both times the infection is confirmed. Earlier, COVID patients were only discharged after testing negative in a PCR test, but now recovery is confirmed by conduction antigen tests after 14 days.

Antigen tests are mainly used to check community transmission and before admitting patients to hospitals. The prime benefit of antigen test is that the result will be available within two hours.