Studies around the world have revealed reduced levels of atmospheric particulate matter in periods of greatest human mobility restriction to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aimed to carry out a health impact assessment in Recife, Brazil, hypothesizing a scenario in which the levels of PM 10 and PM 2.5 remained, throughout the year, as in the most restrictive period of human mobility. Particular material data (PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) were measured during the pandemic and population and health (mortality, hospital admissions for heart and respiratory problems) data from 2018 were used. We observed a reduction in the concentration of PM 2.5 in up to 43.7% and PM 10 up to 29.5% during the period of social isolation in the city of Recife. The reduction in PM 2.5 would avoid 106 annual deaths from non-external causes and 58 annual deaths from cardiovascular diseases. In this scenario, $ 294.88 million would be saved ($ 114.88 million from heart problems and $ 180 million from non-external causes). When considering hospitalizations avoided by the decrease in PM 10 , we observed 57 fewer hospitalizations for respiratory diseases, 42 for heart diseases and a reduction of 37 deaths due to non-external causes. The reduction in spending on respiratory and cardiovascular hospitalizations would exceed $ 330,000. Therefore, the reduction of particulate matter could prevent hospital admissions, deaths and consequently there would be a reduction in disease burden in developing countries where economic resources are scarce. In this sense, governments should seek to reduce levels of pollution in order to improve the life quality and health of the population.
A Pandemia da COVID-19 é, sem dúvida, o maior problema de saúde pública do século, até o momento. Entre as ações sancionadas pelos governos para conter a propagação do vírus estão as medidas de bloqueio e confinamento, conhecidas como lockdown. Vários locais do mundo mostraram melhoria da qualidade do ar decorrente da redução da mobilidade urbana durante os períodos de confinamento. No entanto, os resultados no Brasil ainda foram escassos. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o comportamento dos poluentes do ar em um lockdown de curta duração (64 horas) no município de Pelotas, RS. As concentrações de O3, CO, PM2,5 NO2 e SO2 foram medidas durante e após (até 35h) o lockdown por meio de dados de satélite e foram comparadas a média dos sete dias anteriores. Com exceção do NO2, todos os poluentes foram reduzidos durante o período do lockdown e os níveis mantidos mesmo após 30 horas do fim do bloqueio. A redução dos níveis de ozônio durante o lockdown é bastante questionada, em nível mundial, e parece estar relacionada a cidades menos populosas e com baixas concentrações de NO2. O estudo mostrou que um curto período de confinamento é suficiente para reduzir os níveis de poluentes no ar.
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