In a very timely and engaging conversation with Frank Islam,  Dr. K. Srinath Reddy, an internationally recognised public health professional and President, Public Health Foundation of India(PHFI), talks about the challenges of the battle against COVID-19 in densely populated South Asia, the rising case graphs in India and the US,  the successes of some states like Kerala and the policy priorities for Indian and South Asian countries in the wake of the pandemic.