We have been scanning the media for changes occurring in parallel to Covid-19 trends in developed nations. We wrote about the seasonal effect the other day, and have welcomed the increasingly clear skies. Now, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports a link between air pollution and Covid-19.
Defining the Link Between Air Pollution and Covid-19
Climatologists measure the fine particulate matter in the air using the PM2.5 scale where one µg is a millionth of a gram. As we write these notes, the reading for New York is good @ 4.4 µg/m³ over 24 hours. The overall scale works as follows:
0.0 to 12.0 µg/m³ over 24 hours … Good
12.1 to 35.4 µg/m³ over 24 hours … Moderate
35.5 to 55.4 µg/m³ over 24 hours … Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
55.5 to 150.4 µg/m³ over 24 hours … Unhealthy
The average 2019 New York PM2.5 rating was 33 and this is food for thought. The Harvard University T.H. Chan study found a 1 µg/m³ increase across 24 hours corresponds to a 15% increase in Covid-19 deaths. This brings the link between air pollution and Covid-19 into sharp relief.
What is the Generally Acceptable PM2.5 Scale Rating?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency historically set the PM2.5 bar at 12 micrograms per cubic meter. While the World Health Organization uses 10 as the guideline for an annual mean. However, these standards must surely change given the Wuhan 2019 / 2020 outbreak.
Aaron Bernstein, director of Center for Climate, Health, and Global Environment at Harvard University does not shred his words. There’s a greater risk of respiratory and heart diseases in areas of higher pollution, he explained to BBC. People who live in these areas are therefore more likely to die from coronavirus.
Moreover, air pollution weakens the immune system and the ability to fight off infection according to the European Public Health Alliance. The Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health findings are awaiting peer review. None the less the link between air pollution and Covid-19 makes a deal of sense at first sight.
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Preview Image: Late Afternoon Overlooking Los Angeles
