Areas with higher levels of air pollution are more likely to more Covid-19 cases, according to a new study that found a clear link between pollution and the R rate. Researchers from Washington University in St Louis compared the R rate in US towns and cities with population density and pollution estimates for each location. They found there was a higher R rate in places with greater levels of PM2.5 - particles of pollution - in the atmosphere compared to areas with a cleaner sky. The R rate is an indication of how fast Covid-19 is spreading, if it is above one then one person can spread the illness to more than one person. Before that work, a Harvard study in April found a link between a severe spike in coronavirus deaths and air pollution from PM2.5 particles.

Source: Daily Mail November 13, 2020 13:49 UTC