Unaware of the new testing guidelines for Covid-19, a number of people, including those in need of a negative RT-PCR report to be able to work, are being turned away from testing centres in Delhi and surrounding areas.
According to the Centre's new guidelines, asymptomatic patients do not need to undergo a test. Also, contacts of laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 patients do not require a test unless they have comorbidities or are aged above 60.
Neha Madal, who works as a domestic help in Mayur Vihar, needed a negative RT-PCR report to be able to work in households.
"Some of the societies allow us to work only after we furnish a negative RT-PCR report. When I visited a Covid-19 testing centre, they said I cannot undergo testing because I am asymptotic. It has impeded my work," Mandal said.
Laxmi, a resident of Lajpat Nagar, got a cold and cough, and thought of getting a test done to be on the safe side. "I consulted my doctor who said it could be due to a change in weather but I wanted to be sure and went to a nearby testing centre. They denied a test, saying I should monitor my health for a week," she claimed.
A senior government official said that district authorities in Delhi have received instructions to conduct tests of symptomatic persons and those eligible under the new guidelines.
"Even high-risk people like family members may not be tested unless they have symptoms. International travellers can get tested after producing flight tickets," the official said. On Thursday, Delhi had recorded 28,867 Covid-19cases, the sharpest single-day spike since the beginning of the
pandemic, when the city conducted 98,832 tests.
However, Friday's figure of coronavirus cases came out of 79,578 tests, with a senior government official saying the drop in cases may be due to lower testing. Shreya Raman, whose friend contracted coronavirus two days ago, was turned away on Saturday because she did not have any symptoms.
"My friend and I live in the building and visit each other frequently, so, I thought I should also get tested. Now, I will never know if it has already spread in my house," Raman, a resident of Jangpura, said. On Saturday, in some parts of south Delhi, symptomatic people were also turned away for the lack of a doctor's prescription.PTI