Outlook magazine suspended its print edition today with immediate effect as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While its digital content will continue, editor-in-chief Ruben Banerjee said the decision to stop printing "has been forced upon us by situations evolving across India".

"Lockdowns and curfews — important and necessary measures to stop the extremely contagious virus jumping from person to person — mean we cannot distribute the print version of your magazine," Banerjee wrote in a post on the Outlook website. "Even if we print it for record’s sake, it will be mere tokenism."

Banerjee promised readers that the print edition will return once "the situation becomes conducive". "As a matter of fact, I am looking to the time when we win this war against the pandemic, we are all safe, and Outlook magazine is back as an integral part of your life."

Outlook joins a host of other publications that have withdrawn their print editions in the wake of the pandemic. The Mumbai edition of The Times of India suspended its print edition earlier this week. Mid-day followed suit, citing the safety of its paper's deliverymen. The distribution of newspapers has already suffered in the wake of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, The Times of India attempted to assuage fears by pointing out that scientists said there's no evidence of newspapers being carriers of the virus.

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