COVID-19 and air pollution: what do we know so far?

Resumo

COVID-19, a disease caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a Pandemic in February 2020 and by the end of April more than 200,000 people had died from it. In an attempt to reduce viral transmission, governments around the world have imposed restrictions on internal mobility and lockdown. Almost instantly, information regarding of air pollution reduction traveled as fast as the wind and local and regional studies are starting to be conducted to show this more detailed picture. Moreover, in midst of this scenario, researches concerning the possible association between the spread and lethality of COVID-19 and levels of air pollution also starts to appear, mainly because the current situation appears to be very similar in China and European countries. This brief review aims to address some studies already published on this topic and discuss future directions for the scientific community. The two main topics covered are the relation between air pollution and the spread and lethality of Covid-19 and reduction of air pollution due to quarantine/lockdown. Similar research in other parts of the world will give a more complete picture of the association between air pollution and COVID-19.