Long-term exposure to air pollution may be linked to COVID-19 deaths: Study

A new study published in Cardiovascular Research on October 27 revealed that long term exposure to air pollution has been linked with an increased risk of dying from the novel coronavirus. The research team includes Professor Jos Lelieveld, of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany, and the Cyprus Institute Nicosia, Cyprus, Professor Thomas Munzel, from the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, and the German Center for Cardiovascular Research, Mainz, and Dr Andrea Pozzer, from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. As a part of the study, it was also estimated that 15 per cent of the deaths from the virus could be credited to the long term exposure to air pollution. The proportion stands at 19 per cent in Europe, 17 per cent in North America and 27 per cent in East Asia. 

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Air pollution contributing to COVID-19 deaths 

In the CVR paper the researchers wrote, “attributable fraction does not imply a direct cause-effect relationship between air pollution and COVID-19 mortality (although it is possible). Instead it refers to relationships between two, direct and indirect, i.e. by aggravating co-morbidities [other health conditions] that could lead to fatal health outcomes of the virus infection”. As a part of the research, epidemiological data from previous US and Chinese studies of air pollution and COVID-19 and the SARS outbreak in 2003 was used. This was combined with satellite data to show global exposure to ‘particulate matter’. Therefore, the result totally relies on the epidemiological data collected up to the third week in June 2020.

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If we take the exact number in various countries, the estimate shows 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, 21 per cent in Belgium, 19 per cent in the Netherlands, 18 per cent in France, 16 per cent in Sweden, 15 per cent in Italy, 14 per cent in the UK, 12 per cent in Brazil, 11 per cent in Portugal, 8 per cent in the Republic of Ireland, 6 per cent in Israel, 3 per cent in Australia and just 1 per cent in New Zealand. According to the reports by ecardio.org, Prof. Jos Lelieveld said that since the number of fatalities due to deaths are increasing, it is not possible to give an exact number that could be attributed to air pollution. He further stated that in the UK as there have been 44,000 coronavirus deaths it is estimated that the fraction attributable to air pollution is 14 per cent, that is, more than 6,100 deaths could be attributed to air pollution. 

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