Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
Glob Health Res Policy. 2020 Sep 1;5:39. doi: 10.1186/s41256-020-00167-y. eCollection 2020.
Air pollution is the most significant environmental risk factor for all-cause mortality, and it has caused substantial disability-adjusted life-years and economic loss. Air pollution intensified the mortality during past pandemics, Spanish flu in 1918 and SARS-CoV-1 in 2003. It increases host susceptibility and virulence of respiratory infections and reduces viral clearance. Thus, a question arises whether there will be any impact of air pollution on the current pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)? Thus far, history and science are directing towards an immense potential impact of air pollution on the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the devastated countries with the current pandemic are those with a poor air quality index. Further epidemiological and ecological studies are necessary to confirm this association. Also, countries must mobilize funding for mitigation of air pollution to benefit environmental health and ameliorate its potential effects on pandemics of the future.
空气污染是全因死亡率的最重要环境风险因素，它导致了大量的伤残调整生命年和经济损失。空气污染在过去的大流行中加剧了死亡率，如 1918 年的西班牙流感和 2003 年的 SARS-CoV-1。它增加了宿主对呼吸道感染的易感性和毒力，并降低了病毒清除率。因此，人们不禁要问，目前的大流行冠状病毒病 2019（COVID-19）是否会受到空气污染的影响？到目前为止，历史和科学都指向空气污染对 COVID-19 大流行的巨大潜在影响。目前受疫情影响最严重的一些国家，其空气质量指数都比较差。还需要进行更多的流行病学和生态学研究来证实这种关联。此外，各国必须为减轻空气污染筹集资金，以造福于环境健康，并减轻其对未来大流行的潜在影响。
