Air pollution has increased the severityof the infection of coronavirus worldwide. A report by the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs of UK directs the government to deal with the issue of coronavirus and air pollution concurrently.Although, the determinants of thiswidespread pandemic are complex and definite conclusion has not been reached yet. However, the growing evidence around the globesupports the hypothesis that air pollution is one of the important determinantsof coronavirus infection.
From the analysis of 120 cities in ChinaYang and Zheng (2020) suggests aconnection between exposure to dirty air and coronavirus infection. Similarly, Harvard university group indicatesa link between coronavirus infection and bad air quality across the USA. They claim that peoples are more likely to get infected from coronavirus in polluted areas than those living in clean areas. Another analysis on European data byYaronOgen, at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in German, concludes air pollution as one of the most important determinantsof coronavirus infection. The analysis shows that 78% of corona affected area in Spain, Italy, France, and Germany arein the most polluted region. Similarly, Manu Sasidharanand Ajit Singh (2020)identify a correlationlink between coronavirus infection and air pollution in London.
These facts can be supported by the theory that more exposureto air pollutionlead to increased heart and respiratory diseases. Thesediseases eventually increase the risk of severe symptoms of coronavirus.The decades of research have shown that air pollutiondamages the lungs and increase heart diseases. Anindirect link,therefore, emerges between past and present exposure to air pollution and coronavirus infection.
Notably, the researchers also have investigated the impact ofa temporary drop in air pollution during the lockdown on coronavirus infection. The scientists in China claim that during lockdowns 25% decrease in air pollution might have prevented 24000 to 36000 premature deaths over a month. Another analysis by the searchers from Yale School USA concludes that lockdowns in China have brought health benefits that outnumbered the coronavirus infections. Similarly, Venter et al. (2020) evaluate the impact of lockdowns in 27 countries. They conclude that lockdown has helped to avoid 7400 premature deaths mostly in India and China. TheCentre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) in Europe reveal 11000 premature death avoidance due to controlled air pollution in Europe including the UK.
The disproportionate impact of this pandemicon the people from different ethnicminorities inEurope and the USA also a matter of concern. The minorities inthese advanced nationsgenerally are known to have higher-level exposure to air pollution. This fact also develops a link between exposure of bad air quality and coronavirus infection. Moreover, Damian Carrington -A environment editor at The Guardian reports the presence of coronavirus on the particular of air pollution and raised the question of airborne spread of this pandemic.
The potential interaction between air pollution and Coronavirus infection is very relevant to manage the pandemic in future.The WHO have started to warn those cities that have a higher level of air pollution to reinforcetheir preparedness against this pandemic.The general message from the above discussion emerges: the efforts to curtail this pandemic should be prioritizedin most polluted areasand regulatory standards for air pollution must be strengthened. The industries and transport must not be given a permit to pollute our air when respiratory diseases facilitate the virus.
At the movement air quality in cities allover the world is pretty good due to reduced economic activities, however as the economies will be in full swing after the pandemic is over, air pollution will be again high making the people more exposed any possible second wave of the virus. It is because current modes of production and consumption around the globe are high pollution intensive. Any economic recovery under these modes,would damage the health of the people and add a huge cost to health services. To make sure a healthy recovery from this pandemic, the current model of economic growth that believe pollute first and clean later must be completely overhauled.Ironically, nowthe world does not haveanother model to follow.
The prospective interaction between air quality and coronavirus also has important implication for developing countries like Pakistan.The megacities: Karachi, Lahore,Multan,Peshawar, and Hyderabad are known to have dangerous toxins in the air that citizens are compelled to inhale. Maria Iqbal, 2019 warned that air pollution in the cities of Pakistan had reduced life expectancy. It worsened the respiratory problem in all age group as it contains chemicals that damage inner linings of the lungs directly.ThoughI have not found any study developing an empirical link between air pollution and coronavirus infection in the context of Pakistan, however, the results of above-mentioned studies can be inferred for Pakistan. Like other parts of the world, air pollution has likely made Pakistanis more vulnerable to coronavirus by making their lungs and heart weaker.I, therefore, recommend the provision of quality air should be part of health policy dealing the coronavirus.
