Key Covid-19 indicators surged from Feb 2021 but govts failed to act

Key epidemiological indicators such as the doubling time of Covid cases and the test positivity rate had started rising from mid-February 2021. Central and state governments ignored it until too late

Despite a growing rate of increase in Covid-19 cases and a higher proportion of samples testing positive, on average, since mid-February 2021, central and state governments did not act to impose more restrictions, upgrade health facilities and control the rise in Covid-19 cases, our analysis shows.

On May 1, 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that India would track Covid-19 hotspots on the basis of active cases in a district, the time it takes for confirmed cases to double, and testing and surveillance feedback. Starting from February 1, 2021, restrictions on public gatherings were relaxed, according to an