No Need for Doctor's Prescription for Covid-19 Testing in Delhi, Says Kejriwal after HC's Order

The Delhi High Court Tuesday ordered that doctor's prescription will not be mandatory from now on for those going voluntarily for RT/PCR test to detect COVID-19 infection in the national capital. Till now it was mandatory for a person to have a doctor's prescription or symptoms to get tested for the virus.

A bench of justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad said people need to carry Aadhaar card for Delhi address proof and fill up a form as prescribed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for COVID-19 testing. The court noted there was a sharp increase in the number of cases in Delhi and asked private laboratories to allow 2,000 COVID-19 tests a day for those who want to undergo the voluntarily screening.

Capacity of around 12,000 test per day is available with the Delhi government, it noted.

Reacting on the same, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he has directed Health Minister Satyendar Jain that doctor’s prescription should not be asked for COVID-19 testing in Delhi. Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court ordered that doctor’s prescription will not be mandatory from now for those going voluntarily for RT/PCR test to detect COVID-19 infection in the national capital.

Till now, it was mandatory for a person to produce a doctor’s prescription or symptoms to get tested for the virus. Kejriwal said he directed Jain in the morning that doctor’s prescription should not be asked for COVID-19 testing.