Spain is taking action to regulate the prices of at-home COVID-19 test kits following complaints of price hikes during the Christmas season, when the demand for rapid antigen tests surged, surpassing the supply.
The maximum price for these test kits, which will be available in pharmacies starting this Saturday, will be set at €2.94 ($3.37), according to Health Minister Carolina Darias during a press briefing.
According to AP, Darias clarified that these price controls are intended to ensure that self-administered nose-swab tests are both affordable and readily accessible in pharmacies.
This decision received unanimous approval during a meeting of the Interdepartmental Committee for Drug Prices, with officials taking into consideration factors like wholesale prices and the costs of these tests in other European countries.
Darias emphasized that there has been a significant surge in the demand for COVID-19 tests, describing it as "exponential."
A recent survey conducted by Spain's consumer association, Facua, across 150 pharmacies in five cities found a wide range of prices for these test kits, varying from €4.95 to €10 ( $5.68 to $11.50), as the demand continued to grow.
In recent weeks, Spain has witnessed a notable increase in COVID-19 cases, primarily due to the omicron variant, which has strained the country's healthcare services and led officials to advocate for extensive testing.
Despite the ongoing rise in cases, the Health Ministry claims that hospitalization rates and intensive care unit occupancy remain lower than they were a year ago. The omicron variant is currently associated with hospitalization in only about 2% of cases, compared to 6% in the months before its widespread transmission and 8% one year ago.
Additionally, Spain is extending COVID-19 vaccinations to individuals between the ages of 18 and 39 who have already been vaccinated, encompassing approximately 12 million people.
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