The Delhi High Court on Tuesday said that from now onwards, doctors prescription is not compulsory for those voluntarily wanting to undergo RT/PCR test to detect COVID-19 infection in Delhi. The order came due to concern over the rapid and alarming increase in the total number of cases. Up till now it was compulsory for a person to have a doctors prescription or have symptoms to get tested for the coronavirus.

A bench of justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad said that people have to carry along their Aadhaar card in Delhias address proof and fill a form as set by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for COVID-19 testing.

The ICMR form requires the category of patient according to the testing guidelines. The high court observed a sharp rise in the number of cases in Delhi and had asked private laboratories to allow 2000 COVID-19 tests per day for those people who voluntarily want to do it. The sanctioned strength of conducting RT/PCR test is 14,000, and the remaining 12,000 testing capacity per day is available with the Delhi government.

Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT/PCR), is a laboratory method that is generally used in the diagnosis of genetic diseases and to evaluate the gene expression in research. The bench observed that there is a sharp increase in cases of COVID-19 in Delhi between 31st August till now and the figures are very alarming. On 31st August, the number of cases in Delhi were 1358 and on 7th September, it reached 2077.

The Delhi government said it was considering the issue of allowing the RT/PR tests without prescription and wanted one more week to take a decision.

The person who wants to do the testhas to fill the ICMR form and attach an Aadhaar card to show the address proof of a Delhi residence. The bench further said that the private laboratories should prioritise the results of testing samples sent by the Delhi government and subsequently give reports of private persons. Just in case, Delhi government refers additional samples to the private labs, then they shall provide them without any delay.

Delhi government counsel Satyakam had informed the high court that in fulfilment to its last order, COVID-19 testing camps is set up at Inter-State Bus terminals (ISBT) Anand Vihar, Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, Sarai Kale Khan, Kashmiri Gate and New Delhi Railway Station. Indian Railways has started operating few more trains, hence testing at stations would also be increased respectively. The high court was informed that at present two mobile van facilities are allotted in each district in Delhi for testing.

The high court said Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) should promote the nearby COVID-19 testing camps at prominent places near the entry and exit area of the stations. They should also upload this on Delhi governments website for citizens convenience.

The Delhi government counsel said that the 3rd Sero-survey had begun in the city from 1st September and concluded on 7th September. The high court directed to record the sero survey report with a fresh status before the next date of hearing on 16th September. Central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia, during the hearing, submitted that social distancing norms are not followed in district courts and testing camps should be organised there too. On this, the bench said that camps are set up at the high court and district courts on rotation basis and social distancing has to be ensured by the legal community.

Ahluwalia and Satyakam had submitted that physical hearing be done away for some more time as the situation is bad in Delhi and the lawyers will make a representation regarding this. The bench said that they can give a representation to this effect to the Delhi High Court Chief Justice, the final authority to take decisions.

On 31st August, the high court had stated concern regarding spike in cases of COVID-19 in Delhi and had instructed the Delhi government to re-strategize the testing so as tolarge number of cases which are asymptomatic can undergo a test at private laboratories to prevent the further spread of coronavirus infection.

It was hearing a PIL done by advocate Rakesh Malhotra on increasing the COVID-19 testing numbers in Delhi and getting quick results.

Source: The New Indian Express