Climate change has been warming us for two centuries, but we did not listen. COVID came on us suddenly and we had to hear. Together they cause us simultaneous anxiety. This leads us to wonder are COVID and climate change interrelated. We investigate, and discover there is no evidence climate change is directly influencing the spread of the pandemic.
Relationships Between Climate Change and COVID
We turned to John Hopkins University (T.H. Chan School of Public Health) for advice. They believe climate change is influencing how we relate to other species on Earth. And that this does matter to our health and our risk for infections.
We now know the coronavirus is endemic in bats and infects other animals, even our family dogs. Moreover, there is good reason to suspect the virus crossed from an animal to a human at Wuhan fresh meat market. And that this was the beginning of the pandemic.
Shifting Interfaces Between Wildlife and Humans
We stumble over new species as our human footprint expands, and we enter new virgin territories. Even the animals we know, large and small are steadily migrating towards the poles to escape the spreading heat.
This means the interfaces between animal species, and animals and humans are in a state of flux. As a result, it is easier for pathogens to jump from resistant creatures, to others without immunity according to John Hopkins.
But there is one more piece of the puzzle yet. Our expanding human footprint is deforesting virgin land for habitation and exploitation. This wanton behavior forces wild animals away from their natural shelter, and propels them into contact with us.
We have many reasons to stop, and think about this again according to John Hopkins. We could stop eating wild meat for example. But we could also take heed of the fact warming is increasing our risk of new infectious diseases.
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