New Delhi: Research in Europe and the US has shown that prolonged exposure to air pollution can increase the number of deaths due to Covid-19. This information was given by ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava on Tuesday. The study found that “virus particles live in the air with PM2.5 particulate matter but they are not active viruses.”
Bhargava told a press conference here, “Compared to the polluted areas in Europe and America and the death rate during lockdowns and their relationship with pollution, it was found that pollution has a clear contribution to death from Covid-19. And these studies prove it well. ”
Air quality in North India, including Delhi, drops to a very poor level every winter. Experts warn that high levels of air pollution could worsen the Covid-19 epidemic. Bhargava said it is a proven fact that pollution is related to death and said that the cheapest way to avoid Covid-19 and pollution is to wear a mask. He said that people wear masks in cities with high pollution even though there is no epidemic.
The ICMR chief said, “We do not have to spend much on Covid-19 guidelines, whether it is to wear a mask, follow social distances, breathe and clean hands. Wearing a mask has a double benefit as it protects against Covid-19 as well as pollution. ”
Regarding corona virus infection in children in India, he said that the entire statistics of the country show that only eight per cent of the total infected cases of Covid-19 are under 17 years of age. “There are probably less than one per cent under the age of five,” Bhargava said.
He said there was evidence that children could be “spreaders” rather than “super spreaders”. Replying to a question, Bhargava said that not a single case has come to light in India so far in which Kovid-19 patients have Kovasaki disease. Kawasaki is an autoimmune disease that affects children under the age of five.
