HC allows opening of Spas in Delhi, directs COVID-19 testing of staff every two weeks

New Delhi [India], January 14 (ANI): The Delhi High Court allowed Spas to open in the national capital and operate with appropriate safeguards in the view of COVID-19 while noting that the services offered by them are similar that of the saloons.
The court also directed Spa owners to conduct COVID-19 tests of their staff every two weeks.
Justice Pratibha M Singh allowed two petitions filed by Association of Wellness Ayurveda and Spa through advocate HD Thanvi and other pleas by several owners who run spas through advocates Rajeshwar Dagar and Himanshu Dagar.
The petitioners claimed that they have been hit financially by the ongoing pandemic.
Swastik Singh, Advocate, who argued for the petitioners, while talking to ANI said that the court has directed spa owners to follow proper guidelines as issued by the government relating to COVID-19.
He said people visiting the spas have to declare that they are not infected or have recovered if they had been infected with the virus.
The Centre told the court that it has examined the issue and the Ministry of Home Affairs does not have any objection to the opening of spas if they abide by guidelines and the employees and clients of spas maintain requisite physical distancing of six feet in the premises, avoid overcrowding, use masks, maintain hand hygiene, and sanitize the equipment regularly.
The petitioners had said that they are aggrieved by the arbitrary, unlawful, unwarranted, and inordinate delay in issuing the guidelines.
They had earlier said that the MHA, for the reasons best known to them, was not willing to issue any such guidelines under which all the spas in the national capital are granted the permission to reopen and start functioning under the condition of maintaining adequate social distancing and proper sanitisation. (ANI)