Professor John Murtagh made headlines this week after signing an open letter demanding Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews end the state’s stage-four lockdown. 

The measures have been described as some of the toughest in the world and the letter, signed by 13 doctors, claims their impact is “disproportionately enormous” to the “limited good” being done. 

But Professor Murtagh, one of Australia’s most famous GPs, says he has received “hate mail” from people accusing the signatories of wanting to let the elderly die.

Here he tells Australian Doctor why he thinks easing restrictions is necessary and why it won’t mean more deaths.