COVID-19 performance index for spatial assessment of pandemic management in India

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disaster has been ongoing worldwide and so far in India for more than a year now. World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020. The word "pandemic" is used as a worldwide spread of any new disease. The disease had affected more than 200 countries around the world. The present study seeks to assess the anti-pandemic measures taken by states and union territories (UTs) of India. In this regard, COVID-19 Performance Index (CPI) has been developed on the basis of aggregate and per capita confirmed cases, deaths and tests of COVID-19. It gives an instrument to compare the regions of India on their efforts to handle the pandemic. Using CPI, the states and UTs of India have been spatially assessed. Economic and demographic factors which are responsible for the transmission of coronavirus disease have taken into consideration for the spatial assessment of the performance of states and UTs. From results we found that, the average CPI across all states and UTs of India excluding Lakshadweep is 52.69 CPI for 21 states and UTs out of 35 are below the average CPI. The correlation test between CPI and Per Capita Net State Domestic Product (PCNSDP) and size of population were performed and these are statistically significant. Findings are pointing out that, there is need for serious attention in populous and economic developed states and UTs of India.