Air pollution be causing the Coronavirus to spread more rapidly? …..part 19

Scientists have detected coronavirus on particles of air pollution, raising questions about whether this could be a potential mode of transmission that could put vast numbers of people at risk.

It’s important to note, however, that researchers aren’t yet certain whether the virus can remain viable on these particles or if it appears in amounts high enough to cause infections.

The discovery was made by Italian scientists from the University of Bologna under Leonardo Setti, who used standard techniques to collect some samples of outdoor air pollution at an industrial and urban site in Bergamo. They identified genes that are considered very specific to COVID-19 in several of those samples, and their finding was confirmed by an independent lab through blind testing.

Moreover, a statistical analysis suggests that the high levels of particle pollution might help explain why higher infection rates were seen in certain parts of Italy prior to being placed under lockdown — areas considered some of Europe’s most polluted regions.

The studies haven’t been peer reviewed, but these researchers are not the first to point to this frightening possibility; two other groups of researchers have suggested that particles of air pollution may help the virus travel further through the air.

Setti said: “I am a scientist and I am worried when I don’t know. If we know, we can find a solution. But if we don’t know, we can only suffer the consequences.”

It’s already known that particles of air pollution can carry the viruses that cause illnesses like foot and mouth disease, bird flu and measles.

More information urgently needed on how disease spreads through air

Unfortunately, COVID-19 can be viable for hours in the tiny airborne droplets that come from the coughs and sneezes of infected people. This means that the possibility of transmission through air pollution particles deserves a closer exploration before ruling it in or out.

Bristol University Professor Jonathan Reid, who researches the airborne transmission of coronavirus, believes it’s possible. He said that small droplets of the virus could mix with background urban particles in the air and then be carried around, adding that the virus has already been detected in tiny droplets that were collected indoors in China.

Setti said that when the tiny droplets combine with pollution particles, it enables them to be carried through air for longer because the combined particle is bigger and less dense than the droplet. He likened the pollution particle to a “micro-airplane” with the droplets being “passengers.”

Reid takes a more reserved stance, telling The Guardian that the change in particle size might not play a very big role. Other experts have said they’d like to see more studies carried out to confirm the effect. For example, it’s still not clear whether these particle interactions are biologically viable and have an effect in the atmosphere. They say it could be a few years before this type of finding is confirmed.

Disclaimer: The information on this POST is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional advice. The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this article is for general information purposes / educational purposes only, and to ensure discussion or debate. 

Thank you ….Another factor to consider is the correlation seen in other research between greater coronavirus deaths and higher air pollution levels prior to the pandemic. People who regularly breathe in polluted air are more likely to have compromised lung health, which may, in turn, make them more vulnerable to COVID-19. In China, where the outbreak took a big toll, air pollution is among the highest in the world.

One study carried out by a team of researchers from institutions including the National Institute of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the virus stays viable in the air for as long as three hours after a person sneezes or coughs, and it can last for two or three days on surfaces made of plastic and stainless steel.

The idea of the virus being spread so easily through air is unsettling to say the least, especially for those living in polluted areas. Studies like this drive home the importance of wearing a mask outdoors until further studies are carried out.

There’s a murky relationship between air pollution and coronavirus, which may mean that tackling air pollution will be a crucial part of easing lockdown.

Clear blue skies over the world’s megacities have become a visible mark of the pandemic. It’s a welcome change for many, not least because outdoor air pollution kills around 4.2 million people worldwide each year. .

But when it comes to Covid-19, these risks to respiratory health are not the sum of their parts; researchers in the US are building a case that suggests air pollution has significantly worsened the Covid-19 outbreak and led to more deaths than if pollution-free skies were the norm. As well as predisposing the people who have lived with polluted air for decades, scientists have also suggested that air pollution particles may be acting as vehicles for viral transmission.

These new findings could have a significant impact on how governments choose to ease lockdowns in the coming months, as scientists say that improving air quality could play an important role in overcoming the pandemic.

As the coronavirus pandemic impacts millions across the world and brings economies to a grinding halt, there is a lot of talk about how emissions from fossil fuel combustion have dropped radically in many countries. Yet this is no solution to air pollution and climate change. For while eerily empty cities may be bathed in blue skies, millions are suddenly out of work and wondering how they are going to care for their families.

Your comment ….?

?The poor and most vulnerable will suffer most from both the health impacts and the economic crisis. Cleaner air for a few months may be a tiny silver lining to COVID-19’s dark clouds, but will do little in the long run to solve the problem of outdoor air pollution that kills more than four million people every year. For that we need to kick our habit of burning coal, oil and gas.

Long-term exposure to air pollution could contribute to higher numbers of COVID-19 fatalities.

Coronavirus has also been detected on pollutant particles in Italy.

Residents in two of the world's most polluted cities – New Delhi and Seoul - are finding some relief in the pandemic. Both hubs have enjoyed drops in the levels of airborne particulate matter of 60% and 54% respectively, against this time last year.

It’s positively alpine,” said one Delhi resident. Cleaner air is always welcome news to urban populations. And never more so than in the light of new research that finds people with long exposure to unhealthy levels of air pollution are now at greater risk of dying from COVID-19.

With many factories and businesses closed, combined with fewer cars on the road and fewer planes in the sky, our natural environment is recovering slowly.

China's 40% drop in NO? on 2019 levels for January and February in some areas equates to removing a whopping 192,000 cars.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused industrial activity to shut down and cancelled flights and other journeys, slashing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution around the world. If there is something positive to take from this terrible crisis, it could be that it’s offered a taste of the air we might breathe in a low-carbon future.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 3 million people die each year from ailments caused by air pollution, and that more than 80% of people living in urban areas are exposed to air quality levels that exceed safe limits. The situation is worse in low-income countries, where 98% of cities fail to meet WHO air quality standards.