(FINAL DRAFT) Assignment 2 Article Summary: What We Do and Don’t Know about the Links between Air Pollution and Coronavirus

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In the article “What We Do and Don’t Know about the Links between Air Pollution and Coronavirus”, Lewis reported in The Conversation (13 May 2020) about the link between air pollution and the virus. Air pollution has led to aggravation of existing health conditions such as “strokes, heart disease, respiratory illness and more”, which has also led to the increase of COVID-19 deaths. Lewis also mentioned that air pollution in rich countries is “usually a population-centred problem” and that the virus has spread quickly from Wuhan to major cities around the world. Examples of cities like New York and London have “extensive global travel connections and their population densities” creates higher risk of “person-to-person contagion rates”. In addition, people living in urban areas are susceptible to the virus as well. Factors such as usage of mass transit systems and higher numbers of racial minorities also increase the occurrence of chronic health problems. During these difficult times as we are facing the virus, describing the links between air pollution and COVID-19 can help reduce the effects, even if the “change in outcomes is highly uncertain”.

I agree that air pollution and COVID-19 are correlated. In addition to air pollution, there are other factors such as foreigner’s travel and chronic diseases that Lewis had briefly described that contribute to the growth of the virus.

The first factor that contributes to the growth of COVID-19 is air pollution. In an article by Lau (2020), an ecological study was conducted during the SARS outbreak in 2003 where it affected many countries. It was discovered that there was a “positive correlation between SARS-related deaths and ambient air pollution in both short-term and long-term exposure”. As the symptoms in COVID-19 and SARS were quite similar, the study had come to the conclusion that air pollution may affect a person that had contracted the illness in one way or another. An example of a country with high air pollution is in Northern Italy, which is one of the most polluted places in Europe. It was discovered that there was a high level of fatalities. Therefore, it can be linked that having high levels of air pollution contributes to the high COVID-19 fatality rate.

The second factor that contributes to the growth of COVID-19 is foreigner’s travel in another country. In a journal “Journal of Public Health” by Tantrakarnapa, Bhopdhornangkul and Nakhaapakorn (2020), a study was conducted to determine if the foreigners entering a specific country will contribute to the growth. The study concluded that the first case in Bangkok was determined as an imported case and that the spreading of COVID-19 was due to “number of tourists staying overnight, the number of tourists, and generated income from tourists activities”.  This shows that the increase in foreigners in another country also leads to an increase in COVID-19 cases.

The third and final factor that contributes to the growth of COVID-19 is chronic diseases. According to an article by Whisman (2020), 19% of the rural population are aged 65 and above. The COVID virus is “known to pose severe risks” to those in this age group. In addition to the risks faced, “approximately 80% of the aging population has a chronic disease”. Chronic diseases can be in forms of heart or kidney problems. These enhance the risk if a person contracts the deadly virus. They can also spread the virus to their friends and families. This shows that chronic diseases lead to an increase in COVID-19 cases.

In conclusion, air pollution and COVID-19 are correlated. Besides air pollution, there are also factors that I have mentioned above and other underlying factors we may not have discovered that also play a part in this pandemic disease.

616 words

Reference:

Lewis A. (2020, May 13) What We Do and Don’t Know about the Links between Air Pollution and Coronavirus. https://theconversation.com/what-we-do-and-dont-know-about-the-links-between-air-pollution-and-coronavirus-137746


Lau B. (2020, July 7) How Air Pollution Contributes to the Spread of COVID-19.

https://earth.org/air-pollution-exacerbating-the-spread-of-covid-19/

 

Tantrakarnapa K., Bhopdhornangkul B. & Nakhaapakorn K. (2020, June 18)

Influencing factors of COVID-19 spreading: a case study of Thailand

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10389-020-01329-5

 

Whisman B.( 2020, June 5) Factors Contributing to the Spread of COVID-19 in Rural Communities

https://web.csg.org/covid19/2020/06/05/factors-contributing-to-the-spread-of-covid-19-in-rural-communities/

 

 

 

 


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