Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 27 May 2021
Andaman and Nicobar Islands lies towards the east of Indian Mainland in the Bay of Bengal, whereas Lakshadweep lies towards the west of Indian Mainland in the Arabian Sea. Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep are both Union Territories of India.
The population of Andaman and Nicobar Islands as per 2011 census is 3,80,581 and the population of Lakshadweep according to 2011 census is 64,429. The distance between Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the nearest major city in Mainland India is almost three times that of the distance between Lakshadweep and the nearest major city in Mainland India.
Lakshadweep was the only COVID -19 free State/Union Territory of India until 18th of January 2021 when the first case was detected there. Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported its first case of COVID-19 in March 2020.
According to the data available on the website of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Lakshadweep currently has 2,247 active cases of COVID-19 whereas Andaman and Nicobar Islands has 220 active cases of COVID-19.
4956 COVID -19 patients have cured/discharged from Hospital in Lakshadweep whereas in Andaman and Nicobar Islands 6573 COVID-19 patients have cured/discharged from hospital.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands have reported 108 deaths due to COVID-19 from the start whereas Lakshadweep has reported 26 deaths so far.
As per the vaccination data available on the website of MoHFW Andaman and Nicobar Islands have administered 1,21,086 doses of COVID-19 to its residents where as 31,380 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Lakshadweep.
Lakshadweep was also reportedly wasting a high percentage of its vaccine doses at-least during the first week of May 2021 whereas Andaman and Nicobar Islands had negative wastage of Vaccine. Andaman and Nicobar Islands was administering more vaccines than what it had been allotted, making use of the extra doses available in each vial.
The numbers speak in favour of exemplary management of the second wave of COVID-19 by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.