Coronavirus pandemic | Thyrocare CEO Velumani says logistics is the biggest challenge for COVID-19 test kit suppliers

Talking about reports of restrictions by the Maharashtra government, Velumani said, “I don’t think the government has put in any restriction, there are a couple of laboratories who did not have stock. Anticipating a stock they were collecting blood or swab, thinking that they would get a kit probably by next 6 hours or 8 hours or 24 hours but unfortunately, since it involves a large amounts of logistics in importing, clearance and the transportation, BMC has told some laboratories to wait till you get inventories.”

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On pricing, Velumani said, "Pricing wise, I think we have got decent pricing which is capped by the government, I think one should not grumble, it is fair enough to collect that much."

Talking about lack of protective gear for COVID-19 workers, he said, “I must tell you though many might have not liked this lockdown, but that was a brilliant move because supply takes its own time and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) cannot be manufactured overnight though mask can be little faster done, PPE  itself is taking little longer time. Currently, it is slowly easing out, we have got sufficient stock for the next 10 days.”