New study: High levels of air pollutants increase the risk of covid-19

Covid-19 is no longer classified as dangerous to society and pandemic restrictions have been abolished in Sweden for months.

The virus, which has characterized our everyday lives for two years and which has forced us to live at a distance from each other, has been the subject of a number of studies.

With regard to studies linked to air pollution, it has previously been shown that regions with high concentrations have had more covid falls.

- But what has been unclear is whether the individual exposure has also increased the risk, says Erik Melén, who is a professor at Karolinska Institutet and also project manager in the so-called BAMSE project.

Increased risk in some areas

The BAMSE project has followed more than 4,000 people in Stockholm since birth and now they have the opportunity to study the connection between levels of air pollution they are exposed to at their residential address and the risk of being tested positive for covid-19.

The results show that exposure to certain traffic-related air pollutants can be linked to an increased risk of a positive test.

- It can, for example, be about the famous streets in Stockholm: Odengatan, Sveavägen, Essingeleden.

When we connect the addresses where the study participants lived and the risk of testing positive, we see a connection especially if you lived at addresses with high levels of air pollution.

Important to think preventively

As an example, Melén compares two areas, one with high levels of air pollutants and one with low levels.

- If there are 1,000 individuals who become ill with the coronavirus in the area with low levels, it is 20 percent higher, ie 1,200, who can fall ill in an area with high levels.

At the same time, he points out that all forms of exposure to air pollutants, even low levels, have potential health effects in children, young adults and the elderly.

Stockholm is relatively good to live in compared to other large cities in Europe and the world.

But, keeping in mind that air pollution affects us is important, he says.

- It is important when we think in preventive work how we should live healthily in large cities and how we should be able to prevent disease and complications.