In the article “What We Do and Don’t Know about the Links between Air Pollution and Coronavirus,” written by Alistair Levis (2020), an atmospheric scientist, explains and supports the strong connection between them and states other factors which could exacerbate the mortality from the virus. He supports his views by stating the similarities of health conditions issues between smog and coronavirus that increase the number of deaths. Alistair also mentions that exchange of views by people on “how air pollution affects the rates of mortality from the disease” was tough to conclude considering the strong connection between both. He also states other contributors that “increase the prevalence of underlying health conditions” of individuals. When these factors pile up, those with the virus may have their health deteriorate further. Additionally, it is questionable that improving air pollution will proportionally ameliorate the spread of the disease. While I agree with Levi's explanation, I feel that he could have elaborated on the other factors such as poverty, individual’s underlying medical conditions and population rate exacerbating the virus situation while discussing air pollution impact on it.
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Despite the article stating “They often use mass transit systems, they can have higher rates of poverty and deprivation, and cities contain proportionally larger ethnic minority populations.” It could have explained more on how poverty link with coronavirus, such as BBC animation describing that” The coronavirus pandemic has not affected all communities equally, with wealth appearing to be a major factor.” It has shown statistics by an Economists at the University of Oxford who found that an individual with high salary has lesser physical contact with others compared to lower salary individuals. This is only agreeable in countries that allow work from home policy which also means that they are less likely to be exposed to outside as they would not need to travel. Moreover, the poorer you are the more likely you’ll be living in compacted space with others, which gives the virus a higher chance to spread and not many can afford good healthcare. If the article was not bias on supporting pollution’s links, it could have detailed more on how poverty’s impart on lives.
Joe Payne (4 June 2020). Coronavirus and poverty: Is there a link?. Animation from - https://www.bbc.com/news/av/health-52920591
Stephen McCarty (20 April 2020). Why Covid-19 is a human overpopulation problem – perhaps humans are the virus?. Retreived from -
https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3080360/why-covid-19-human-overpopulation-problem
Damian Carrington, Environment editor (20 April 2020). Air pollution may be ‘key contributor’ to Covid-19 deaths – study. Retreived from - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/20/air-pollution-may-be-key-contributor-to-covid-19-deaths-study
Lena H. Sun (16 July 2020). Patients with underlying conditions were 12 times as likely to die of covid-19 as otherwise healthy people, CDC finds. Retreived from -
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/06/15/patients-with-underlying-conditions-were-12-times-more-likely-die-covid-19-than-otherwise-healthy-people-cdc-finds/
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