Air pollution by fine particles may be responsible for worsening the coronavirus epidemic

Coronavirus, Europe, France, Health, Infection, Mutation, Pollution, Transmission

For the second week in a row contaminations and hospitalizations linked to Covid-19 rose again between February 22 and 28. What if this rebound were not only due to the increasing diffusion of more transmissible variants but also to another phenomenon: peaks in air pollution with fine particles?

“It is quite possible, indicates to the World Antoine Flahault, professor of public health and director of the Institute of global health (University of Geneva). Air pollution by fine particles may be responsible for worsening the epidemic both in the number of new infections and in hospitalizations of Covid-19 cases.”

From Corsica to Hauts-de-France, via Grand-Est, Rhones-Alpes-Auvergne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine or Ile-de-France, many regions have been affected by three episodes of pollution linked to upwelling of sand dust from the Sahara. The last one has just ended.

Le Monde Report (Paywall)

 

 

 

 

Image by amazingsdj from Pixabay

 

** This post was originally published on March 8, 2021 **