Air pollution contributed to 15% of coronavirus deaths: Study

A recent study estimates that about 15% of deaths worldwide from coronavirus could be attributed to long-term exposure to air pollution.

The study published in Cardiovascular Research, estimates that more than 6,100 COVID-19 deaths in Britain and around 40,000 in the US could be attributed to air pollution.

The study used health and disease data from the US and China relating to air pollution, COVID-19 and SARS. To calculate to what extent air pollution can be blamed for coronavirus deaths, the researchers combined the data with satellite data of global exposure to microscopic particles, as well as ground-based pollution monitoring networks.

The results showed that the proportion in Europe was about 19%, 17% in North America and 27% in East Asia. The study found that particulate matter appeared to increase the activity of a receptor on lung cell surfaces, ACE-2. ACE-2 is known to be involved in the way COVID-19 infects patients.

The researchers also found that air pollution damages the lungs and increases the activity of ACE-2, which leads to enhanced uptake of the virus. Co-author of the study Thomas Munzel said that if long-term exposure to air pollution and infection with the COVID-19 virus come together, then there are chances of dire effect on health, especially on heart and blood vessels.

"If you already have heart disease, then air pollution and coronavirus infection will cause trouble that can lead to heart attacks, heart failure, and stroke,” Munzel said.

While the study suggests that pollution itself is not killing people with coronavirus, the pollution particles are a co-factor in aggravating the disease.

The report noted that while the pandemic may end with the vaccination of the population or with herd immunity, there are no vaccines against poor air quality and climate change. Air pollution would continue to kill huge numbers of people even after the pandemic recedes, unless there is a fundamental change in how cities power themselves, including a transition to clean and renewable energy sources, the study concluded.