On October 26, 2020, a report was published in the journal Cardiovascular Research, based on epidemiological data from previous studies, conducted in the United States and China on air pollution, Covid-19, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2003 and data from Italy till 3rd week of June 2020, which states that as many as 15 per cent deaths due to Covid-19 globally can be linked to long-term exposer to air pollution. This proportion was the highest in East Asia at 27 per cent, followed by Europe 19 per cent and North America 17 per cent.
Key Takeaways of the Findings of the Study
Some of the key takeaways of the report are as follows:
- As per the report, global exposure to polluting particulate matter (PM 2.5, all anthropogenic emissions) in various regions of the world is—Europe, 19; Africa, 7; West Asia, 8; South Asia, 15; East Asia, 27; North America, 17; South America, 9; Oceania, 3; and the world, 15.
- The proportions were based on an estimate of the fraction of Covid-19 avoidable deaths, which could be saved provided the population were exposed to lower simulated air pollution levels without fossil fuel-related and anthropogenic emissions.
- One of the researchers, Professor Thomas Münzel, says when people inhale polluted air, the PM 2.5 particles migrate from lungs to the blood vessels, causing inflammation and severe oxidative stress, and ultimately damages the inner lining of arteries, the endothelium, and results in the narrowing and stiffening of the arteries. The novel coronavirus too does the same to blood vessels.
- Since the data was collected in the middle- and high-income countries, the results for low-income countries were likely to be less robust. The data relevant to the present study are from upper-middle and high-income countries, and the representativeness of results for low-income countries may be limited, and uncertain up to 95 per cent in terms of confidence intervals.
- It is suggested that the search for effective policies to reduce human-induced emissions, which cause both air pollution and climate change, should be expedited.
- The report shows country-wise death percentage due to air pollution. As per an estimate, air pollution contributed to 29 per cent of coronavirus deaths in the Czech Republic, 27 per cent in China, 26 per cent in Germany, 22 per cent in Switzerland, and 21 per cent in Belgium.
- Since the numbers of deaths from Covid-19 are increasing all the time, it’s not possible to give exact number of country-wise Covid-19 deaths, attributed to air pollution. However, there have been over 44,000 coronavirus deaths in the UK, with the fraction 14 attributable to air pollution, which means that more than 6,100 deaths could be attributed to air pollution. Similarly, more than 2,20,000 Covid deaths occurred in the USA with a fraction of 18 per cent yields about 40,000 deaths attributable to air pollution.
- The report says that even if there are vaccines for the population, what about the poor quality of air and climate change, which has no vaccines so far. Therefore, the only way-out is to mitigate emissions. In this regard, the transition to a green economy with clean and renewable energy sources will be of immense help locally through improved air quality and globally by limiting climate change.
Courtesy: downtoearth.org, Indian Express