Election fever? States holding elections slow down Covid-19 testing

Most states have either pulled back on testing or not increased it enough to account for rising infections. Kerala reduced its daily testing by a fifth

Ideally, states going into election should follow a rigorous testing strategy, given the possibility that rallies and door-to-door campaigning can turn into super spreader events. But data from India shows that there is a tendency to dial down testing during elections.

Last year, Bihar decreased its testing during the election phase, and now almost all Indian states in the election mode seem to have either done the same or not increased it enough. Bihar reduced its testing after the model code of conduct was announced, Assam and Kerala have followed in its footsteps during this election. So, while Kerala was