As everyone knows, some people are much more affected than others by the Covid-19 coronavirus. Indeed, about one in ten cases turns out to be serious, even very serious. If we know that the elderly and immunocompromised are most at risk of disease, air quality could play a role.
Today, the balance sheet of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic reports more than 380,000 confirmed cases for more than 16,500 deaths . We should also mention more than 100,000 people cured, proof that most cases are mild. The disease mainly affects the elderly and other vulnerable individuals. Nevertheless, some experts believe that pollution can have an impact.
A member of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE), Dr. Giovanni Ghirga is behind a publication in the journal BMJ on February 19, 2020. According to him, the severe symptoms of the coronavirus can be related to air pollution , in other words the quality of the air.
Let's be clear, to be certain that there is a correlation between coronavirus symptoms and exposure to air pollution would require more research . However, it should be mentioned that links have already been established in the past with other respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
You should know that the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) has already spoken on the subject. Officials had warned that exposure to polluted air could reduce patients' chances of survival affected by the coronavirus.
The European Society for Respiratory Diseases (ERS) explained that people with chronic lung and heart disease have fewer ways to fight against lung infections and are more likely to die. However, this could also be the case for the coronavirus. According to the ERS, the levels of air pollution should be lowered. The goal? Enable the most vulnerable people to better fight Covid-19.
Also worth mentioning is the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA). It recently published new directives concerning buildings to prevent transmission of the virus. Some of these guidelines relate to increased air supply and exhaust ventilation.
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