HYDERABAD: At a time when paranoia and panic over how long the coronavirus-fuelled lockdown may stretch are rife, internationally renowned medical expert Dr D Nageshwar Reddy has good news: “This is something we can easily conquer. There’s no need to panic,” he tells us while adding that the current lockdown “should not prolong beyond three-four weeks.”
Speaking to The New Indian Express Editor G S Vasu, the Hyderabad-based gastroenterologist, who was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2016 and currently serves as the Chairman of the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, takes us through why the coronavirus may not withstand the scorching heat of the Indian summer.
“Regarding temperature, there was and there is still a lot of controversy, but recently, a paper was published by MIT, USA, where they have shown the heat-sensitivity of this virus. Above 32 degrees, this virus is unable to exist for long periods,” he says.In India, most places average well above 32 C in April. “But indoors, where we are living in air-conditioning or where the temperature levels are cool, the problem still persists,” he adds. The MIT research is peer-reviewed, which means it has not been completely published but the initial reviews look positive.
Dr Reddy explains that the spread of Covid-19 in India may not parallel that of Italy or China because its strain is different. “In the Indian virus, there is a single mutation occurring in the spike protein of the genome. Spike protein is the area that attaches to the human cell. Only one small mutation has happened, making that attachment weak.”
That is why he believes the current 21-day lockdown should not extend. “In my opinion, we should limit it to three weeks. It looks like, to some extent, the community spread is being controlled,” he opines.