How much does air pollution amplify COVID-19 severeness? | COVID-19 Special

A toxic and potentially deadly partnership - air pollution and COVID-19: There is a strong correlation between air pollution and COVID-19 mortality rates. The risk of dying from the disease is higher the longer we are exposed to air polluted with these particles. The coronavirus is a respiratory disease. It attacks the lungs and other organs, in its attempt to infect its host. But it has another strategy - air pollution. Scientists believe it uses fine particulate matter as a carrier. Studies show the pollution also lays the groundwork for the virus, aggravating the throat and lungs, to make us more susceptible to COVID.

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[dwnews]

As always, we'd love to include your questions in our upcoming shows! What would you like to know about the coronavirus pandemic? #askDerrick

[HeyMJ.]

Environmental irritation causes Asthma attacks. It makes sense.. an interesting discussion.

[Hotpepper]

If air pollution creates a precondition to affect COVID-19 more severely, how can you explain why Asia, like China, Korea, etc., has a high air pollution rate but not much precondition to creating COVID-19 severance?

[silvialogan]

Smog in the sky can cause asthma and other lung conditions.

[solapowsj]

The airways are lined by muscles that constrict its lumen when needed. However, air pollution irritates the bronchial mucosa (airway lining) causing excess constriction, increased secretions, and thus difficulty in breathing.
Having explained as above, note that influenza A HA refers to a hemagglutinin that the virus carries. It causes clumped red 🔴 blood cells, and these don't deliver oxygen to tissues while blocking flow of blood. The result is hypoxia and brain damage.
Clinically, one would notice increased rate of breathing, >30 breaths per minute and a bluish tinge to mucus membranes, as in the oral cavity.
Nasal oxygen inhalation with warmed air given immediately helps.
Avoid air pollution.

[arcanusluvalus]

Maybe all that cloud seeding is paying off now.

[addiomondo]

So one of the reasons here in Italy is that we have the bidet.

[marclawson]

Severity not severeness. I expect more from DW.

[johnkeepin]

Well, how do you measure it? Almost all illnesses are exacerbated by air pollution, in the broadest sense of the term ‘pollution’. Sells adverts, though.

[bollinamohansatyabalakrish]

If pollution is that adverse then india should be top of the chart in covid deaths with 1.3 billion people, every city in India is so polluted

[jesper]

In Philippines with a population of 109 million in a country 1/3 the size of other countries with similar population, and a LOT of severe pollution in the cities, they have 7800 deaths from coronavirus right now, a death rate of >1% of infected. That doesn't fit the theory...

[sjpradeepk]

The reason why India has far less mortality rate due to Covid is not due to underreporting or due to autoimmune system, but it is due to much affordable and available healthcare framework available in the country, in comparison to the United States...credit needs to be given to the Indian Healthcare workers to whom it is due.

[hrep]

Apart from air pollution, there are a lot of medical practices and drugs, some used in food production in the west, that diminish people’s natural immune system to fight off infection.

[dark]

In Skopje 🇲🇰🇲🇰🇲🇰 and all big cities air has so much pollution

[nitinkumar]

You should also factor in the relocation of polluting industries from developing country such as Germany to developing countries, actually this is the strategy under globalization. Some developed countries also send their waste of all kind to developing countries under the guise of recycling.

[morimori]

Nepal having air pollution and corona yet schools still staying open
MY SCHOOL DOESN'T EVEN HAVE PROPER FUNCTIONING FANS LET ALONE AIR CONDITIONERS
I DON'T WANT TO DIE-

[vladimirseven]

Tobacco corporations are fine. Due to "it is bad" nobody checking them, chemistry inside of cigarettes and prices. Is there any data of risks from smoking depending on pesticides, herbicides and preservatives inside?

[bitehunter]

Maybe in the UK where air pollution is horrible, the CV can be fatal.

[saltymonke]

not air pollution, air conditioning system and HVAC

[rishabhbhati]

I think it does not.
I live in Ahmedabad, India.
Here AQI is 198. It is winter here. We have unlocked now but the number of cases are not that much.
Please use this data.