An Expert Explains: ‘Time to start random testing of people with flu, scale it up if necessary’

From what we have seen so far, this disease is mild in younger people — those who are below the age of 60 years. There is a need to be careful about the older lot, and those with underlying medical conditions.

From what we have seen so far, this disease is mild in younger people — those who are below the age of 60 years. (Express photo: Pavan Khengre)

Dr Malik Peiris is a public health virologist at the University of Hong Kong who played a key role in identifying the SARS coronavirus in 2003. He speaks to Anuradha Mascarenhas:

Is India not testing enough? Is there a danger of missing out on infected people if only those with foreign travel and contact histories are tested?

Frankly, it is not possible for a country like India to test all its people. The numbers are too big. But there are ways by which community transmission of the virus can be assessed. One way could be to start random testing patients of pneumonia or influenza, irrespective of their travel history. This will give India some idea of whether community transmission is happening or not. If there are indications that it has happened, then the testing would need to be scaled up further.

In Hong Kong, for example, initially testing was done on travellers from China, and then from other countries. Now all patients with pneumonia are being tested. But I understand it is not so easy for bigger countries with large populations like India. Largescale testing is probably possible in the short term, but I am not sure whether it is sustainable in the longer term. Countries need to think it through and ensure that their action plan is sustainable for at least a six- to nine-month period.

How workable are suggestions that building community immunity is a better way to deal with the virus?

While implementation of aggressive disease-control measures such as school closure and social distancing may defer the transmission in countries which are at risk mainly through the import of the disease, it is unclear whether the global spread of this virus can now be prevented. Whatever a country does, I think there is going to be continued introduction of the virus from outside. Some recent reports have said that the approach of the UK has been to accept that this outbreak is inevitable, and then work on mitigating the impact, and protecting hospitals from getting overloaded. This approach would lead to 50 or 60 per cent of the population getting infected at some point of time, till the people develop immunity and the chain of transmission stops. I understand people getting shocked with this kind of approach, but we have to face up to reality, and in the long term, it may help in controlling the outbreak.

But then, are we not also looking at a large number of casualties?

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From what we have seen so far, this disease is mild in younger people — those who are below the age of 60 years. There is a need to be careful about the older lot, and those with underlying medical conditions. Right now, it would make sense if people who have fever or cough do not visit older relatives or go to work. It is best to remain isolated at home with fewer people.

Would the higher temperatures in summer slow the spread of the virus?

What we can say as of now is that it is likely to be less efficient in countries with higher temperatures. We know that this virus can survive for several days. At about 22°C, it can stay alive for three to four days. At higher temperatures, say in the range of 33-35°C, the duration of survival would be much smaller. We do not have the full evidence at the moment, but in warmer countries, transmission may be less efficient. However, we cannot assume that it is going to completely stop transmission. If we are lucky, then higher temperatures may reduce transmission to some extent.

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The present virus is very similar to the SARS virus of 2003. Studies conducted on the SARS virus had showed that the survival viability was rapidly lost at higher temperatures and higher relative humidity. This may explain why some Asian countries in the tropical areas, such as Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand, did not have major community outbreaks of SARS.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More