India, March 9 -- Former WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan said working long workweeks, as those suggested by Infosys Founder Narayana Murthy and L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, can be done but it's not possible over long periods.

Speaking to PTI, the former head of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said, "I know a lot of people who work very hard. So I think it is an individual thing and your body tells you when you are tired, so then you also have to listen to your body."

Thinking about the multiple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including on work culture and human health, she said, "You can really work hard, let's say for a few months. During COVID, we all did that, right? But could we have continued that for years toge...