As per the statement of the minister of health and family welfare Nagaland, S.Pangnyu Phom, the current lockdown will continue till the current covid positivity rate (or Test Positivity Rate) which stands at 9.3% drops below 5%.According to criteria published by WHO in May 2020, a TPR of less than 5 per cent is one indicator that the infection is under control in a locality. As per the figure from the department of health and family welfare (DoHFW), it means for every 100 persons tested for covid-19, a little of nine of them are tested positive. A high TPR indicates that testing is inadequate, and new chains of community transmission are being ignored. Even as lockdown continues till June 30 in Nagaland, the state government has to accord vaccination as a top priority. With a population of hardly a little over 20 lakh, the state can easily obtain that many vaccines. However, Nagaland is also among states where the percentage of population that was yet to be vaccinated, especially among the 45 plus is considerably high. Only 19 of the 35 states and union territories in India meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards of a TPR under 5%. The high TPR is mainly factored by low rate of testing. Since the TPR of Nagaland is very high, it calls for raising testing throughout the state.An analysis based on Union health ministry data and Google community mobility reports shows that states with a high TPR had a low testing percentage. Maharashtra, which has the country’s highest covid cases, records a TPR of 21.76%.When data is used appropriately, it can also throw light on whether only a subset of the community is at greatest risk for infection. As per the recommendation of WHO in the month of May, the TPR should remain below 5% for at least two weeks prior to considering relaxation of Lockdown or reopening of normal activities. The TPR has been on account of what many medical experts believe, a second and more deadlier wave of covid unleashed by the Delta variant. India’s TPR was as high as over 12% during April-May when cases soared to record levels of over 4 lakhs in some days including 3 lakhs, two lakhs, one lakh to now below 60,000 cease per day. States that ramped up testing have recorded a low positivity rate, reaffirming that tracing, testing and isolating is the only way to contain the virus spread. In this regard, the state government also needs to do a serious rethink about it anti-Covid strategy. The state government must ramp up vaccination through all means if TPR is to come down and lockdown lifted phase-wise. It has to do this instead of giving more importance to regular photo ops, addition of more beds for Covid patients, procurement of equipment etc. Of course, all these are also required but there is no option for vaccination. Nothing in Nagaland moves without money. This was also revealed in the minister’s remarks that 10% from LADP fund (placed under legislators) and 15% from common pool, will be deducted for expenditure in the name of Covid, despite strong objections from the opposition.