Pandemics, cities and Public Health

Abstract

Public Health and urban planning, which were once strongly connected, now go separately and are practically united only in sanitation policies. New and old health threats brought by urbanization and highlighted by the current pandemic emphasized the close relationship between health and the urban environment. Measures to control the current SARS-Cov-2 pandemic resulted in cleaner urban environments, particularly with lower levels of air pollution in many cities due to drastic reduction in economic activity and mobility patterns. COVID-19 is also related to air pollution by possibly increasing susceptibility to infection and the lethality of the disease. Both aspects are discussed in view of the recent literature and empirical data for the city of Sao Paulo. In preparing for the post-pandemic, health should be back at the center of decisions regarding urban life and urban planning and Public Health re-connected.

COVID-19: Has social isolation reduced the emission of pollutants in the megacity of São Paulo—Brazil?

“…Pandemics and calamities have occurred several times throughout human history, leading to—besides numerous deaths—changes in society’s habits and urban planning. According to Gouveia and Kanai ( 2020 ), the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 once again reveals the relationship between health and the urban environment. Anthropogenic action modifies or destroys biodiversity; this fact, allied to climate change, is possibly directly related to the emergence of new viruses, as is the case of the virus that causes COVID-19 (Lorentzen et al 2020 ).…”

COVID-19 and urban spaces: A new integrated CFD approach for public health opportunities

“…Whereas urban public spaces, including parks, streets, squares, and pedestrian areas, can host vibrant functions, which promote the character of cities and the quality of life [ [91] , [92] , [93] , [94] , [95] ]. In addition, urban public spaces can be realized as a vital constituent of the cities and an important social determinant of physical and mental health [ 59 , 61 , 63 , 96 ]. However, the safety of such spaces must be analyzed, as wearing face coverings may be difficult in some situations, as detailed by Sakharov, and Zhukov (2020).…”

“…Planners, and architects thus have the unique opportunity to build and develop more resilient open spaces, and equitable urban communities, which can promote inequality through design outdoor spaces, which promote residents' lives [ 39 , [55] , [56] , [57] ]. Consequently, researchers worldwide have discussed the urgent need for designing and planning open spaces in response to COVID-19 around the world, which are important social and ecological determinants in high-density cities that provide residents with the opportunity for physical activity, mental innovation, social health, and improves overall wellbeing [ 33 , [58] , [59] , [60] ], as well as improve the city's air temperature and quality [ [60] , [61] , [62] , [63] ]. Honey-Rosés et al (2020) discussed among planners, designers, architects, urbanscape managers how this pandemic will lead to a revisiting of residents' relationship with public spaces.…”

Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC): a protocol for a multidisciplinary prospective observational evaluation of a cohort of patients surviving hospitalisation in Sao Paulo, Brazil

“…Based on the permanent address of each individual, the following variables will be added to the database: neighbourhood socioeconomic conditions; 65 levels of air pollution and traffic density; 66 and residential greenness, distance to public green spaces and number of street trees. 67 Procedures Experienced research staff will make telephone invitations to subjects or close family members (in case of elderly individuals presenting some degree of dependence), followed by written messages using the freeware WhatsApp when no answer is obtained after two telephone attempts.…”