A Covid-free place in India?

Did you know that there is one place in India which is today completely Covid free?

Sounds like a dream? But its very much true; Lakshadweep, an archipelago of 36 islands of which 10 are inhabited and 220 to 440 km away from the coastal city of Kochi in Kerala, in the emerald Arabian Sea. 

More than eight months after the first corona case was reported in the country, Lakshadweep remains the only place in India without a single reported case of the virus. This week over 11,000 students on the 10 inhabited islands of the UT are now back in school though classes for pre-primary students are yet to commence.

This Union Territory has managed to keep Covid at bay due to its preparedness, right from the beginning, mandatory testing of residents before they arrive on the island and strict quarantine. Even before the national lockdown in March, the UT authorities shut its airstrip and ports to tourists. Residents were allowed to return only if they had a Covid-negative certificate. Some of its residents who contracted Covid-19 are being treated in Kerala.

Tourists are not really welcome and even residents need to get an entry permit for which, they first need to undergo 14 days of quarantine in a government-authorised facility in Kerala and then take a Covid test. Even if they test negative, they have to be in quarantine in Lakshadweep for seven days.

A smaller area and a much smaller population combined with great vigilance is what helped this beautiful place keep Covid away. It seems a wonder to know that there is some place on earth today which does not have the virus.