Lower air pollution reduces virus impact – German research

Research by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg has shown that almost 80% of coronavirus deaths across Italy, Spain, France and Germany were in the most polluted regions.

Concerns centre around nitrogen dioxide, which is mostly produced from burning fossil fuels.

The World Health Organization has also warned that those with underlying pollution-related conditions have developed severe Covid-19 in countries with high levels of pollution.

Dr Yaron Ogen, from the Institute of Geosciences and Geography at MLU, said since the coronavirus affects the respiratory tract, it was reasonable to assume that there might be a correlation between air pollution and the number of Covid-19 deaths.

But Guernsey has much lower levels of nitrogen dioxide.

Since the start of this year at Bulwer Avenue, there has been an average reading of 10 micrograms per cubic metre of air, while at Lukis House in the Grange, there has been an average reading of 16 micrograms per cubic metre. Both are considered low.

Director of public health Dr Nicola Brink said it was not a surprise there was a link between respiratory disease and pollution.

Medical director Dr Peter Rabey said he had seen studies linking the severity of Covid-19 with less clean air, although more evidence was needed.

‘We know that if you get pneumonia in a high air pollution area you’re more likely to die, for example, so it seems reasonable to believe that,’ he said.

‘I think on the whole the Bailiwick could be in a good position with that.’

In the German study, 83% of all fatalities in the four countries, up to mid-March, occurred in regions with higher nitrogen dioxide concentrations.

Dr Ogen studied data from January and February 2020, before the start of the European outbreaks. He then compared it with the data from the four countries and the high number of deaths tied with the high levels of nitrogen dioxide. He also highlighted that geography may play a part.

‘When we look at northern Italy, the area around Madrid, and Hubei province in China, for example, they all have something in common: they are surrounded by mountains,’ Dr Ogen said. ‘This makes it even more likely that the air in these regions is stable and pollution levels are higher.'

It is hypothesised that persistent poor air pollution might have led to overall poorer health among the people living there.

Dr Ogen said at this stage his data was an indication of a correlation and further research was needed.