Measuring air pollution could help London transport planners fight
COVID-19

Date:
June 26, 2020
Source:
University of Birmingham
Summary:
Measuring air quality across London could help fight COVID-19
by providing a rapid means of deciding whether to reduce public
transport movement -- given strong links between exposure to air
pollution and COVID-19 transmission, a new study reveals.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Measuring air quality across London could help fight COVID-19 by providing
a rapid means of deciding whether to reduce public transport movement
-- given strong links between exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 transmission, a new study reveals.


========================================================================== Analysis of air pollution, COVID-19 cases and fatality rates in
London demonstrates a connection between increased levels of nitrogen
dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5) and higher risk of viral transmission.

Scientists at the Universities of Birmingham and Cambridge say that this
shows air pollution could be used as an indicator to rapidly identify vulnerable parts of a city such as London -- informing decisions to
suspend or reduce operation of buses, trains and Underground.

Researchers have published their findings today in Science of The Total Environment, highlighting that using public transport in the UK during a pandemic outbreak has a six-fold increased risk of contracting an acute respiratory infection.

City boroughs with access to London Underground interchange stations
also have higher pandemic case rates as users are exposed to a higher
number of individuals compared to through stations.

Report author Dr Ajit Singh, from the University of Birmingham, commented: "Short-term exposure to NO2 and PM2.5is significantly linked to an
increased risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19. Exposure to such
air pollutants can compromise lung function and increase risk of death
from the virus.



========================================================================== "Levels of airborne PM2.5in the London Underground during summer are
often several times higher than other transport environments such as
cycling, buses or cars. We recommend a strategy that tailors the level
of public transport activity in cities like London according to COVID-19 vulnerability based on air pollution levels across the city.

"This could help decision-makers take the right measures to counter
COVID-19 in London -- for example deploying transport staff and arranging dedicated services for key workers." Scientists have earlier found
the greatest PM2.5concentrations across the London Underground network
on the Victoria Line (16 times higher than the roadside environment),
followed by the Northern, Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines.

Routine cleaning and maintenance of the London Underground ranges from
litter removal to preventing safety incidents rather than reducing PM concentrations.

Co-author Dr Manu Sasidharan, of the University of Cambridge, commented: "Human-mobility reduction measures provide the greatest benefit in the
fight against COVID-19. We need to balance the public health benefits
of closing public transport during a pandemic against the socio-economic impacts of reducing mobility.

"Determining the vulnerability of city regions to coronavirus might help
to achieve such trade-offs -- air pollution levels can serve as one of
the indicators to assess this vulnerability." The number of positive
COVID-19 cases considered in the study were only those reported at
hospitals -- it does not include people self-isolating due to COVID-19.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Birmingham. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Manu Sasidharan, Ajit Singh, Mehran Eskandari Torbaghan, Ajith Kumar
Parlikad. A vulnerability-based approach to human-mobility reduction
for countering COVID-19 transmission in London while considering
local air quality. Science of The Total Environment, 2020; 140515
DOI: 10.1016/ j.scitotenv.2020.140515 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200626114741.htm

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