Critics warn virus test price caps may slash testing

Greece's largest medical association on Monday criticized a decision by the country's center-right government to impose price caps on coronavirus tests at private labs, warning that the measure could disrupt testing during a spike in infections.

The government last week set the price limits at 40 euros ($48) for regular swab tests and 10 euros ($12) for rapid tests, cutting current rates at most labs by more than half.

In response, the Panhellenic Medical Association said that the measure would force many independent labs to stop providing COVID-19 tests because they would be too costly for them, putting additional pressure on the state-run health service.

There was no immediate response from Greece's Development Ministry to the complaint.

Greece suffered its highest daily death toll due to the pandemic at the weekend, with 121 deaths reported Saturday, while the cumulative death toll stands at 2,321 with more than two-thirds of all fatalities occurring in November.

Separately Monday, the government said it was looking for ways to help commercialize a state-supervised research project involving several Greek universities and research labs that has produced a new rapid test method for the coronavirus.

[AP]