Investigating the association of long-term air pollution exposure with risk and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection (UKLLC_0030)

Current evidence suggests that increased long-term exposure to air
pollution is linked to individuals being more likely to be infected with
COVID-19. Furthermore, this evidence suggests that if infected, there
is a higher chance of having worse symptoms and requiring more
interventions if that individual has been exposed to higher levels of
air pollution previously. These studies have not always accounted for
other conditions that may put others at higher risk, e.g., underlying
medical conditions, smoking. They are also specific to one group of
people, e.g., healthcare professionals, or specific locations that may
not reflect the conditions of other locations. For example, air
pollution is higher in cities than rural areas, but so was the
availability of COVID-19 testing in the early stages of the pandemic.
By analysing data from multiple studies in different locations, which
also has comprehensive information about each participant (e.g.,
underlying health conditions), we can identify if there truly is an
increased risk of infection and worse outcomes from infection. This
will provide more strength to current policies trying to reduce air
pollution emissions and will enable healthcare providers to assess
whether specific areas are at higher risk of viral infections such as flu
and COVID-19 based on air pollution levels.