If you are worried about having COVID-19: when and how much will you have to pay for the test

All individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, dyspnea, and other respiratory disorders) or their families infected with coronavirus are reportedly routinely screened for free at Mobile Points and Fever Clinics.

People who do not experience symptoms but suspect they may currently have an asymptomatic form of COVID-19 can be tested in private laboratories.

Today, there are five of them in Lithuania: Baltics Medics, Diagnostikos Laboratory, Medicina Practica Laboratory, SK Impeks Medical Diagnostic Center and Invitro Diagnostics.

It is planned that they themselves take the sample and carry out its examination, so those who wish to carry out the test must contact them directly, without the need for any shipment.

As Lina Bušinskaitė, advisor to the Minister of Health, previously said, the state does not set specific prices on how much such a study should cost. This is done by the laboratories themselves.

Delphi wondered how much such a study costs on average abroad.

According to official information from the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe on the Health System Response Monitor (HSRM) website, which collects up-to-date information on how countries are responding to and managing the COVID-19 crisis , most countries, such as Spain and Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, etc. cover all costs related to COVID-19, including testing the entire population.

However, there are countries where private laboratory tests are not funded, i. and. The test must be paid for by the person who voluntarily wants to take the test.

It has already been announced that PCR tests of the nasopharynx in Latvian laboratories cost about 80 euros.

In Poland, for example, the cost of a molecular test in a private laboratory ranges from 500 to 600 zlotys (113-136 Eur).

At that time, in Estonia since mid-March, a private clinic has started testing people who do not meet the criteria for the free COVID-19 test. The price of this test, as announced, is 81 euros.

In the Czech Republic from May 15. the state began to regulate the prices of tests performed by private laboratories. Currently, the price of this test is 1674 CZK (64 Eur).

Cyprus has also regulated the prices of private tests, which currently cannot exceed € 110 for people who want to be tested for COVID-19 on a voluntary basis.

Where are COVID-19 tests paid and how much does it cost?

In Lithuanian private laboratories, the cost of a COVID-19 molecular test is similar, ranging from 70 to 79 euros.

In the Antėja laboratory (UAB Diagnostikos laboratorija) it is possible to perform COVID-19 molecular PCR analysis of the nasopharynx in Vilnius, Kaunas, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, Marijampolė and Klaipėda. The price of the research is 79 Eur.

According to the Antėja website, the test is performed only for those people who do not meet the requirements for mobile points or fever clinics. In these last places, the tests are carried out free of charge under the conditions set out below.

Research at Klaipėda Port Clinic (UAB Baltic Medics) is carried out at the Port Polyclinic branch, Dragūnų str. 2-6. As the website writes, the patient can know the results the next morning. Its price is 76 Eur.

Here, a blood test for COVID-19 antibodies can also be done. Its price is 16 Eur. The time of the test is the same day from delivery to the laboratory.

Medicon’s hands-on labs can also test for coronavirus in two ways: PCR (from nasopharynx) and antibody test (from blood). The price of the PCR test is 75 Eur, the collection is free.

It is emphasized that COVID-19 is only sampled by laboratory personnel who do not experience symptoms of the virus. The research can be carried out in ten Lithuanian cities: Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Panevėžys, Šiauliai, Mažeikiai, Tauragė, Šilutė, Visaginas, Zarasai.

At that time, the price of the antibody test is 14 euros, an additional 2.5 euros will be charged for the blood draw. This test is carried out in all the UAB Medicine practice laboratories.

According to the laboratory’s website, a serological test for COVID-19 (antibodies) is used to verify that a person has a history of COVID-19 and has acquired immunity to the disease agent.

Serological tests for SARS-Cov-2 infection can help assess the development of immunity, detect a cure, assess the spread of the virus in society, and decide on further isolation measures and the return of workers to the job market. and the distribution of the workload.

Who and why request paid surveys

The websites of the other two clinics, the Medical Diagnostic Center and Invitro Diagnostics, no longer publish information about COVID-19 testing. “Representatives of Delfi institutions asked about the prices of the research.

Laura Bakanė is the deputy director of Invitro diagnostika Delphi He said that a COVID-19 test of the nasopharynx here costs 75 euros, and a blood antibody test – 20 euros. These tests take place in Santariškių st. 5 located in the laboratory.

The interviewee observes that the cost of the test is determined on the basis of all costs: salaries of laboratory staff, available reagents, equipment, protective equipment.

According to L. Bakanė, companies request coronavirus tests paid for the safety of employees, the person himself, who wants to travel or before the pending operation.

“Initially, the paid investigation was requested mainly by people who wanted to carry out operations, go on a trip and that country demands a negative result. Right now, last week, when a new solution came out, most companies are requesting to examine their employees, ”says the director of Invitro Diagnostics, requesting a paid investigation.

The interviewee says that he is currently noticing a slightly higher interest in paid testing than during quarantine.

“We feel that it is growing a little, because at the beginning people were more afraid and the test was done free according to a certain decision and conditions, now that the research is paid, the interest is to study by themselves”, says L. Bakanė.

She estimates that around 50 people visited the institution per day who wanted to explore privately for some of the reasons mentioned above. According to the interlocutor, only a very small proportion are diagnosed with coronavirus.

“Of the roughly 300 to 400 patients, one is very small,” he says.

It is true that most of Invitro’s diagnoses are 70 percent. – The investigation is carried out at the request of the State free of charge in accordance with certain established procedures. The rest are private clients of the institution.

“We are committed to the state, which has a contract with the National Public Health Laboratory, so we carry out some tests at no cost, we receive compensation for them later,” says a representative of the institution.

Ina Šapranauskienė, director of the Laboratory Diagnostic Center at the Center for Medical Diagnosis and Treatment, tells Delfi that private clients have been able to get tested for COVID-19 infection since May. Since then, the lab has performed more than 1,200 paid PCR tests (from nasopharynx to Delphi) and immunological (antibodies – Delphi) methods.

“Research on coronavirus infection is brought to our center on a daily basis by companies concerned with ensuring the safety and health of workers returning to work, as well as by individuals who often wish to register after a vacation or trip to the foreigner and they want to check on their own. for the safety of themselves and their loved ones. There are also more and more people who want to have immunological tests to check if they have already developed a coronavirus infection, “says I. Šapranauskienė.

The interviewee observes that the cost of the study depends on the method by which it is carried out. When taking a test sample from the nose (by PCR method), the cost of the test is 75 euros, when carrying out an immunological test from a blood sample – 12.5 euros.

As in other laboratories, the Center for Medical Diagnosis and Treatment performs free tests according to the established procedure. Since late March, when the facility joined the national coronavirus testing network, a total of nearly 6,000 people have been tested. samples, of which a positive result was found in several dozen.

Delphi asked about the investigation and Antante representatives of the laboratory, but declined to comment because it was confidential.

At mobile points investigation free performed on people who:

• sudden onset of fever, cough, shortness of breath;

• People who have received outpatient treatment at home for a mild form of COVID-19 and have a referral;

• individuals to whom planned invasive and / or interventional personal health care services will be provided;

• people before hospitalization;

• persons admitted to social assistance institutions for short or long-term inpatient social assistance services.

• people returning from foreign countries.

How Delphi According to SAM Press Service, 1,648 returnees delivered samples at mobile points last week, with six positive results.

For a free survey, call 1808.

Fever Clinics investigation free performed on people who:

• Patient from 18 to 60 years old;

• have a body temperature of 37.8 ° C or more on the day of your GP visit (before taking antipyretics);

• you have at least one of the following symptoms of an upper respiratory infection: chills, cough, sore throat, trouble breathing.

According to the SAM website, the following investigation procedures are currently in place for people who have experienced cold symptoms: fever, cough, choking:

• If a person is 61 or older, they should call the general emergency number 112. That person would be transferred by ambulance to one of the main hospitals.

• If a person has a chronic disease (cardiovascular, respiratory, liver, kidney, diabetes, etc.), they should also call the general emergency number 112. This person would also be transferred by ambulance to one of the main hospitals.

• If a person is under the age of 61, they should call a GP who will register the patient with a fever clinic or call the coronovirus hotline 1808, where they can register for a coronavirus test at a mobile station.