ICMR approves walk-in testing, doctor's prescription no longer required

A doctor’s prescription will no longer be required for people to get a Covid-19 test, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said in its revised testing advisory to states on Saturday, paving the way for walk-in tests.

The move comes after a prod by the Delhi high court that asked why people who show no symptoms of the disease – which can be a large proportion of Covid-19 patients – cannot get a test.

The guidelines also mentions places where molecular testing – such as RT-PCR, CBNAAT, and TrueNat – should be preferred over the cheaper and faster but less accurate rapid antigen tests (RAT).

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