Assessing the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on air quality change and human health outcomes in a capital city, southwestern Iran

ABSTRACT

The aimsof this study were to assess the spatial variation of PM_2.5, NO₂, and O₃ between 2019 (before) and 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic); and calculation the health outcomes of exposure to these pollutants. The daily PM_2.5, NO₂, and O₃ concentrations were applied to assess health effects by relative risk, and baseline incidence. The annual PM_2.5 and NO₂ mean concentrations exceeded the WHO guideline values, while O₃ did not exceed. The restrictive measures associated to COVID-19 led to reduction at the annual means of PM_2.5 and NO₂ by −25.5% and −23.1%, respectively, while the annual mean of O₃ increased by +7.9%. The number of M-CVD and M-RD (−25.6%, −26.1%) related to PM_2.5 exposure, and HA-COPD and HA-RD >65 years old (−21% and −3.84%) related to NO₂ exposure were reduced in 2020, and O₃ exposure-related M-CVD (+30.1%) and HA-RD >65 years old (+23.4%) increased compared to the previous year 2019.

KEYWORDS:

• Air pollution
• health effect
• PM_2.5
• COVID-19

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Lorestan University of Medical Sciences for financial supporting. The current study has been approved by the ethical committee Lorestan University of Medical Sciences (IR.LUMS.REC.1400.184).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Lorestan University of Medical Sciences [IR.LUMS.REC.1400.184].