The Goods and Service Tax Council on Saturday decided to slash GST rates for Covid drugs, testing kits, medical equipment and even ambulances to provide relief to people amid the pandemic, but kept the tax on vaccines unchanged at the lowest slab of 5%. The new rates will be effective till September 30. While some state finance ministers including West Bengal’s Amit Mitra and Punjab’s Manpreet Singh Badal pitched for a temporary waiver of tax for all Covid drugs, vaccines and equipment, a group of ministers led by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma recommended slashing of GST rates for items other than vaccines.