On Issues With Covid19 Data And Why Kerala Stands Out In India

Quality of data released by Government having high COVID 19 numbers was analyzed. Parameters considered are timeliness of the publication of daily reports, accessibility of reports, sufficiency of the report in terms of all details and language(s) in which reports are released. With the exception of Kerala, all other states were found lacking in one or more parameters. The data from the Ministry also lacks in some parameters, perhaps due to lack of submission from the states. Further, an attempt was made to understand as to why Kerala tested more than other states even though testing criteria followed were the same across the country. It is found that a more rigorous implementation of screening process, going beyond guidelines issued by the Ministry could be the reason behind higher testing levels than other states, especially during initial phase of the pandemic. [IIPS COVID Research series].