Covid-19: Atul Gawande on why US slipped, and India managed better

The most important tool you have in public health is messaging and communication, said Gawande

Indian-origin American surgeon, author and healthcare policy expert, Atul Gawande, who was recently inducted to US President-elect Joe Biden’s Covid-19 advisory panel, speaks to Anjuli Bhargava about where he thinks the country has reached in the battle against the Covid-19 virus, how India has fared and the lessons that have emerge from this crisis. Edited excerpts:

How far to go in this battle for the US?

We have not seen the worst of it yet. Cases are still rising, so the question is really can we prevent half a million deaths. We are fast approaching that number. We are, however, finally on