India appears to be headed for more stringent lockdowns to rein in the massive surge in deadly coronavirus infections as both medical experts and apex industry chambers are giving fresh feedbacks to the Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while urging the states to avoid blanket lockdowns that would cripple the economy and hit livelihoods has also maintained all along that the government would go by the advice of medical experts in formulating its policy to tackle the devastating pandemic.

AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria has now stated that the country's health infrastructure is "stretched to the limit" and "aggressive lockdowns," like the one imposed in March last year are required in areas with positivity rates of over 10 per cent to contain the second Covid-19 wave. Dr Guleria said the ferocity with which the virus was spreading is unprecedented, and night curfews and weekend lockdowns, such as those enforced by Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana and other states, were proving to be ineffectual.