Researchers investigated the link between long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and the need for ICU care and mechanical ventilation for COVID-19. They found that exposure to higher levels of NO2 correlates to a higher need for ICU care and mechanical ventilation. The researchers caution that their study only found a correlation- not a causation- and that further research is needed to understand their findings better. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a traffic-related pollutant gas released when burning fossil fuels. Long-term exposure to NO2 causes many health problems and is linked to a higher risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and respiratory-related death.A study conducted with healthcare data from 4,443 fatal cases of COVID-19 in 2020 found that long-term exposure to high levels of nitrogen dioxide correlates to increased mortality risk from COVID-19. Knowing how long-term nitrogen dioxide exposure affects COVID-19 outcomes could help policymakers better allocate resources to treat the condition. Recently, researchers investigated the effects of long-term NO2 exposure and the need for ICU and mechanical ventilation treatment for COVID-19.They found that long-term NO2 exposure was linked to an increased need for ICU care and mechanical ventilation. Researchers presented the findings at the Euroanaesthesia Congress in Milan, Italy.The researchers gathered air pollution data from 2010 to 2019 for 392 of Germany’s 402 counties for the study. They used this data to calculate long-term annual mean levels of NO2, ranging from 4.6 µg/m³ to 32 µg/m³. The lowest levels were in Suhl and the highest in Frankfurt. They also gathered data on the number of occupied ICU beds and the need for mechanical ventilation from the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Ca …
COVID-19 severity and air pollution: What’s the link? – Medical News Today
