What is common among the China, USA, Spain, Itlay, UK, Brazil, Russia, France, India?

1. Countries where more CoVID cases have been reported.
2. Air pollution levels across these cities have been high at least more than a year or above.

Let us take Chennai and Punjab cities in India and Chennai is where I live as a case study here. (five locations where air monitoring stations are installed)

Particulate Matter concentration(PM2.5, PM10, and Ozone): PM2.5 levels: There has been an increase in pollution levels even during the lockdown period in Alandur and Velachery Res. Area. PM10 levels: On several occasions in Manali, very high peak levels have been noted during the lockdown, close to 3.5 to three times the standards( 100 µg/m3). Oxides of Nitrogen: Satellite data for Chennai shows there is a slight decrease in No2 levels yet it is slightly higher in some areas.

Why there is a low Recovery Rate among Covid-19 patients?

One of the factors could be pollutants. People who have been exposed to high air pollution levels for a year or more are more susceptible to pulmonary infections. Sharing the facility rate of China with the distribution of already existing symptoms or disease for patients against CoVID.

Feasible approaches:

1. Maintaining low air pollution levels, especially around areas where disease spread is faster or where more COVID-19 patients/susceptibles are in a cluster (even inside hospitals too) could help reduce the mortality rate. Despite lockdown, we could not achieve low pollution levels for all pollutants across the world.

2. Pincode based approach. This can be followed worldwide for contact tracing of patients, reaching last-mile connectivity, or even mass testing and supply of essentials. I will be sharing details of this in another post.

The common thing among CoVID free countries are low pollution levels specifically carbon, nitrogen, and particulate matter for more than a year helps in more recovery rates.

Source of data: CPCB, TNPCB.(Pollution control boards in India)

LoveIsInTheAir. Let us maintain it clean and we will come out of this soon. Request you all to maintain social Distancing, reduce vehicle emissions even if the government relaxes rules.

StaySafe.