Severe Covid cases more likely in places with high air pollution, study finds

Findings are in line with other recent studies linking long-term NO2 exposure with higher Covid-19 incidence

Long-term exposure to pollution is linked to a greater risk of severe Covid-19, according to new research that calls for an urgent transition to clean energy to improve air quality.

The yet-to-be peer-reviewed research, to be presented at Euroanaesthesia – the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) in Milan – says people in counties with higher levels of the pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) are more likely to need ICU care and mechanical ventilation if they contract Covid.

The findings point to the need for an immediate transition to renewable energy, clean transportation, and sustainable agriculture to improve air quality across the world, say researchers from Charite – Universitatsmedizin Berlin.