In the wake of increasing number of COVID-19 cases, the Central University of Kerala has resumed COVID testing. The samples collected from various health centres in the district are being tested in the virology lab under the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the university. Apart from the lab technicians, services of research scholars are also available here. In 2020, when the spread of COVID-19 was at an extreme level, the university took up prevention activities keeping social responsibility in mind. In March of the same year, the university received approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for testing.

The testing is led by Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Virologist Dr. Rajendra Pilankatta. So far, the university has conducted more than four lakh RT-PCR tests for the diagnosis of Covid. More than 3,000 tests were conducted to detect the genetic variation of Covid. In the past, up to 1,500 tests per day were conducted at the university. The university's intervention was a great relief to the community during the Covid pandemic. Earlier, the state government had honoured the university for its preventive measures against Covid.