Delhi LG tells DDMA officials to begin testing on demand to curb COVID-19 spread

New Delhi: Delhi lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on Wednesday directed officers to augment the city’’s testing capacity by taking a few steps, including ‘’testing on demand’’, testing at the National Capital’s border points and at major construction sites to check the spread of COVID-19. Sources said that during a meeting of Delhi Disaster Management Authority, the LG asked officers to prepare detailed SOPs to introduce such testing facilities in the city. They said that a helpline number will soon be launched, where a person, who has COVID-19 symptoms, can book testing and thereafter, can avail the facility at his or her doorstep. “In first phase, senior citizens, women and children are likely to avail ‘’testing on demand’’ facility. Another option is that people can also book testing at nearby centres by making a call at the helpline number,” a source told PTI. The LG has asked officers to set up testing facilities at Delhi’’s border points as well for the screening of those having COVID-19 symptoms. “It will be mandatory for all migrant workers coming to Delhi to undergo tests. However, people, who live in NCR but work in Delhi, can also undergo test if they feel so,” the source also said. Last month, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that his government would increase daily COVID-19 tests from 20,000 to 40,000.