Climate and Covid-19 - Upgrade and solar radiation influences based on Brazil cases

Abstract

Background COVID-19 has confirmed to be a pandemic with global and historical dimensions in the beginning of the 21st century. Climatic conditions are one of the environmental factors that influence communicable diseases, including viral diseases. Despite promising scientific advances into understanding the interaction between climate and COVID-19, a question remains: How can climate influence the pandemic of COVID-19? Methods It was updated the publications available on the climate and COVID-19 using Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed database from January 1 to May 20, 2020. Statistical analysis, such normality and multicollinearity tests were performed between number of COVID-19 cases and climato-meteorological parameters (temperature, relative humidity, dew point temperature, atmosphere pressure, wind speed, wind gust, rainfall, and solar radiation, nebulosity and insolation ratio) in six Brazilian cities. Results This review reveals that temperature, relative humidity and absolute humidity alone do not able to explain the exponential number of COVID-19 cases. Most studies showed the SARS-CoV-2 satisfactorily can survive in a large range of temperature and humidity in temperature and tropical- humidity climates. Analyzing other meteorological parameter, insolation ratio that is related to the solar radiation and nebulosity, the results and in accordance with other studies suggest the transmission and contagion by SARS-CoV-2 seem to have been enhanced under from medium to low direct solar radiation and covered skies. Conclusions This study showed that the inclusion of other climatic variables, in addition to temperature and humidity, should guide future ecological models on the relationship between climate and COVID-19, especially the insolation ratio influences on the viral transmission in six Brazilian cities. Our findings may support public policies and coordinated actions to reduce and control of COVID-19.

Effects of Demographic and Weather Parameters on COVID-19 Basic Reproduction Number

“…For example, epidemics of influenza have a seasonal character precisely due to the susceptibility of influenza viruses to UV radiation [104]. Our analysis found, at very high statistical significance, a strong negative correlation between the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus and the intensity of UV radiation, which is consistent with the results of other studies obtained for the cities of Brazil and the provinces of Iran [105,106]. It is worth mentioning that lower temperatures, humidity, and sunlight levels usually occur in combination and directly affect not only the virus but also the human behavior, so the observed higher transmission of the virus in such conditions can alternatively be interpreted by indirect effects of other factors that act together in cold weather, such as more time spent indoors where the virus spreads more easily, or weakening of the immune system that increases susceptibility to infections [107].…”

Factores ambientales en la transmisión del SARS-CoV-2/COVID 19: panorama mundial y colombiano

“…El efecto observado se puede explicar si consideramos que las radiaciones UV A (UVA) y B (UVB) producen alteraciones en los enlaces moleculares del ácido desoxirribonucleico (ADN) y ácido ribonucleico (ARN) que actúa como un desinfectante natural, por lo que, aunque la UVA y la UVB no pueden lograr la desinfección completa, podrían acortar la vida media de cualquier virus 93 . De hecho, al analizar otros parámetros meteorológicos, como la relación de insolación y la nebulosidad, que están relacionados con la radiación solar, los resultados sugieren que la transmisión y el contagio por SARS-CoV-2 parecen haberse mejorado en radiación solar directa media a baja y cielos cubiertos 94 . Adicionalmente, la radiación UV modula la inmunidad del huésped contra las infecciones virales, activando directamente la respuesta inmune innata y controlando la producción de vitamina D, que genera efectos inmunes positivos 95 .…”

Using Remote Sensing and Big Data to Analysis Direct Solar Radiation Impacts on the Spread of Covid-19 (Case Studies: Six States of the United States)

“…Furthermore, other studies considered Brazil (Mendonc ¸a et al, 2020) and China (Byass, 2020); they proved that the increase in COVID-19 spread is related to the reduction of direct solar radiation level. Bäcker (2020) considered the importance of the Zenith angle on the absorption of solar radiation.…”