In the Netherlands, an additional 400 to 800 people may have died from the coronavirus due to dirty air. This is evident from research by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the universities of Utrecht and Wageningen and the association of regional health services. People living in areas with poor air quality were at greater risk of dying after being infected.
The researchers studied corona infections, hospital admissions and deaths between the beginning of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 (the period from the outbreak to the start of the vaccination campaign; ed.). During that period, more than 760,000 people tested positive for corona, more than 31,000 people ended up in hospital with corona complaints and almost 22,500 patients died.
According to the study, if air quality had been average in regions with poor air quality, this could have resulted in 6,000 to 13,500 infections. This in turn would have resulted in fewer hospital admissions (-1,100) and a lower number of deaths (-400 to 800).
Livestock farming and traffic
The study compared regions with poor air quality with places where air quality was better. Livestock farming and traffic in particular appeared to have a major influence. It is not easy to determine what effect the industry had.
It is not the case that people contract corona due to poor air quality. “After all, this happens through human contact,” the researchers emphasize. But if people inhale particulate matter and it enters the lungs, they can eventually suffer from lung complaints and cardiovascular disease. People who live in polluted air are also more susceptible to respiratory infections. The researchers see the results as confirmation that cleaner air is important for public health.
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Tags: Hundreds additional corona deaths occurred Netherlands due poor air quality Science
