Poland avoids 771 deaths caused by air pollution thanks to restrictions
The decrease in pollution in Europe is a side effect of the coronavirus pandemic and has had a positive effect on our health. The report by Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) found out and measured changes in pollution levels in different parts of Europe and their impact on health.
Closing economies due to a pandemic is a radical reduction in car traffic and a decrease in energy production from fossil fuels. It is the burning of coal and crude oil that are the main sources of NO2 pollution and solid dust throughout Europe.
The measures to combat the coronavirus have led to an approximately 40 percent of reduction in average level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution and 10 percent reduction in average level of particulate matter pollution over the past 30 days, resulting in 11,000 avoided deaths from air pollution (95 percent confidence interval: 7,000 - 21,000). In Poland the reductions of deaths reached 771 people (confidence interval 558-1135).
Other avoided health impacts include 1.3 million fewer days of work absence, 6,000 fewer new cases of asthma in children, 1,900 avoided emergency room visits due to asthma attacks and 600 fewer preterm births. Most of these health impacts are linked to chronic air pollution exposure and will be realized over coming months and years.
