India has entered the fourth phase of the lockdown or what is referred to as Lockdown 4.0. However, country's leading epidemiologist and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Institute of Epidemiology, Jayaprakash Muliyil, argues that a lockdown is not a permanent solution to the pandemic. In an interview with Outlook, Muliyil says that India may see at least two million deaths in the case of substantial lifting of lockdown. Excerpts:
Q) We are into lockdown 4.0. How do you see the situation evolving?