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No need for prescription for asymptomatic patients to undergo Covid-19 test: Delhi HC
Testing without prescriptions will be done on a trial basis initially and 2,000 tests will be allowed for asymptomatic patients every day in the city, the court said. The state government can approach the court for any modification in the directions if it faced any difficulty, the high court said.
The Delhi high court on Tuesday said doctor’s prescriptions will not be required anymore for asymptomatic patients to undergo Covid-19 testing in the national capital, a decision welcomed by the AAP government and diagnostic labs. The only things required would be an Aadhaar card with a Delhi address and an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) form that people who want to be tested need to fill, the court said.
Testing without prescriptions will be done on a trial basis initially and 2,000 tests will be allowed for asymptomatic patients every day in the city, the court said. The state government can approach the court for any modification in the directions if it faced any difficulty, the high court said.
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The AAP government welcomed the order. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s office said in a statement, “We welcome the decision of the Delhi High Court. Earlier today morning, CM Arvind Kejriwal had instructed health minister Satyendar Jain to issue orders to do away with the need for a doctor’s prescription for carrying out a Covid test in Delhi. We encourage more and more people to get tested if they feel they have Corona, so that we can effectively control the spread of the virus in the national capital.”
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad on Tuesday noted there has been a sharp and alarming rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in the past week.
On Tuesday, the Delhi government administered a record 45,797 tests on a day the city registered 3,609 new infections—the highest single-day spike in 76 days, according to the government bulletin.
The court also directed the Delhi government to set up testing centres near prominent metro stations for the benefit of commuters. It asked the government to share maps of testing centres with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for display at metro stations for better awareness.
The court, hearing a plea filed by advocate Rakesh Malhotra seeking ramping up of tests, also told the government to re-strategise its plan to ensure anyone who wanted to get tested was able to do so with any prescription.
Welcoming the order, Dr Vandana Lal, executive director of the Lal Pathlabs, said it would ease patients’ problems because nowadays a Covid-19 negative report is necessary even for travelling. She said her lab was well prepared to handle the increased number of tests and would follow all government directives.
Dr Deepak Sadwani, head doctor at Prognosis Lab, said people now won’t have to run to a physician to get a prescription for testing.
Additional standing counsel Satyakam, appearing for the Delhi government, said the number of RT-PCR tests have been ramped up and mobile testing centres have been set up at inter-state bus terminals and railway stations.
A senior government official said testing camps have also been set up at major construction sites, weekly markets and outside major government offices primarily located in the New Delhi Municipal Council area.
Appearing for ICMR, central government standing counsel Anurag Alhuwalia told the court that the apex medical body has come out with a fresh advisory and has done away with the need for a prescription for Covid-19 testing.
The Delhi government counsel informed the court about an alternative testing method being explored by the government. He said the method has been sent for ICMR for approval even as the medical body (ICMR) said it has not received it yet.
The court asked the Delhi government to submit the next sero survey report on the next date of hearing after it was informed by Nutan Mundeja, DGHS, that samples have been collected.
The matter will now be heard on September 16.
Crowd at trial courts
During the proceedings, advocate Alhuwalia raised the issue of setting testing camps at trial courts due to the increased footfall. Advocate Satyakam said all standing counsel of the Delhi government have decided to give a representation, expressing their inability to appear for physical matters in court.
Justice Kohli said the courts were opened for physical hearing only because of representations from various bar associations and the legal fraternity.
The judge then asked the counsel to give a representation to Chief Justice DN Patel, who during a hearing on Tuesday said his staff members had been affected and the situation was bad.However, the chief justice said that the physical hearings would not stop and would go on .
