Analyzing COVID-19 and Air Pollution Effects on Pediatric Asthma Emergency Room Visits in Taiwan

Abstract

(1) Background: An asthma exacerbation that is not relieved with medication typically requires an emergency room visit (ERV). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in Taiwan in January of 2020. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric ERVs in Taiwan was limited. Our aim was to survey pediatric asthma ERVs in the COVID-19 era; (2) Methods: Data were collected from the health quality database of the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Administration from 2019 to 2021. Air pollution and climatic factors in Taipei were used to evaluate these relationships. Changes in the rates of pediatric asthma ERVs were assessed using logistic regression analysis. Poisson regression was used to evaluate the impact of air pollution and climate change; (3) Results: The rate of pediatric asthma ERVs declined in different areas and at different hospital levels including medical centers, regional and local hospitals. Some air pollutants (particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm, particulate matter ≤ 10 µm, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide) reduced during the COVID-19 lockdown. Ozone increased the relative risk (RR) of pediatric asthma ERVs during the COVID-19 period by 1.094 (95% CI: 1.095–1.12) per 1 ppb increase; (4) Conclusions: The rate of pediatric asthma ERVs declined during the COVID-19 pandemic and ozone has harmful effects. Based on these results, the government could reduce the number of pediatric asthma ERVs through healthcare programs, thereby promoting children’s health.

Impact of Foodborne Disease in Taiwan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The overbuying of food must be stored in the refrigerator or room air of the home, but inadequate storage methods or overdue orders could increase FBD incidents of the compound food and cake or candy; raw and cooked food contaminated would increase some type of FBD. Lockdown measures such as school closures, stay-at-home orders, working at home, and protective measures (including social distancing, wearing masks, and increasing hand hygiene) have changed lifestyles and behavioral and social habits [ 13 ]. The effect of FBD in the COVID-19 era in Taiwan must be surveyed.…”