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A study by Harvard academics has found that a sharp rise in the death rate from Covid-19 is linked to air pollution. Tiny particles in the air called PM2.5 can cause long-term health problems, and they are produced by industry, cars and the burning of fossil fuels. The researchers found that even small increases in PM2.5 concentrations significantly increased the odds of dying after contracting the coronavirus. "We found that only a 1 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 (particles) was associated with a 15% increase in Covid-19 mortality," the team found with their shocking study. Scientists have aggregated air pollution data from about 3,000 U.S. counties -- 98 percent of the nation's population -- and compared it with data from the coronavirus. They adjusted for factors that could have influenced the findings, such as poverty level, smoking, obesity, the number of exams and the number of hospital beds.
The analysis showed that long-term exposure to PM2.5 significantly increased the odds of death from COVID-19. Air pollution weakens the body's respiratory tract and inhibits its ability to prevent infection, which is known to be associated with higher mortality from a variety of causes. However, this correlation was 20-fold higher in COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
In the study, Francesca Dominici, co-leader of Harvard Data Science, wrote: "We hypothesized that PM2.5 could also aggravate the severity of symptoms of COVID-19 infection due to its adverse effects on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems due to prolonged exposure. and COVID-19 patients may be at increased risk of death."
"The relationship between PM2.5 and health, including pregnancy outcomes, respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, neurocognitive disease, has been well established in the U.S. and worldwide." Pollution inhibits the body's defenses against entry of pathogens The lungs' first line of defense, tiny hairs called cilia, become less effective. These tiny hairs don't catch and clear infection, so these people are more likely to develop chronic respiratory disease. COVID-19 targets the respiratory tract and can cause shortness of breath, decreased lung capacity, and ultimately death. There is currently no effective vaccine or treatment.
The study only collected data from the United States, but its impact is widespread, with air pollution exceeding safe limits around the world.
The researchers defined high pollution as PM2.5 levels above 13 micrograms per cubic meter of air, above the U.S. average of 8.4 micrograms. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 10 µg/m3. The findings should be used in places with high levels of air pollution to ensure strict adherence to social distancing guidelines, as residents in these areas are most at risk of developing severe symptoms, the researchers said. The researchers concluded that the findings underscore the importance of continuing to enforce existing air pollution regulations to protect human health during and after the COVID-19 crisis. The researchers made their findings, models and code public for other scientists to expand their research.
Due to the urgent need for more information on the coronavirus pandemic, the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, but is believed to be published soon in a leading medical journal. Currently available on the medRxiv preprint website. Air pollution is slowing around the world as travel and emissions fall. For example, a recent study published by medRxiv showed that China's lockdown and anti-coronavirus measures have reduced air pollution by a quarter in some cities. Scientists say 36,000 lives could be saved a month if these low levels persist. In early February, as the coronavirus ravaged the city, millions of people were trapped at home, and much of the region went into quarantine. Analysis After the lockdown in dozens of Chinese cities, PM2.5 levels in the air dropped by 22.3 µg per cubic meter. The reduction in pollution "could lead to substantial health benefits," according to the study's authors.
