Air pollution can exacerbate underlying health conditions, which poses a major problem for those living in areas that are notorious for their substandard air quality.
Coal-fired power plants emitting deadly sulphur dioxide , nitrogen oxide and particulate matter are responsible for about 2,000 deaths in South Africa annually. Under normal circumstances, Eskom’s air pollution-related death tolls are part of everyday life, particularly in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. But with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, what does this air pollution mean for the health of residents living in heavily polluted areas? The answer is not encouraging.
“It is also likely that air pollution exposure weakens the body’s defences against the virus in the short term – this effect is well known for other respiratory infections, but not yet for Covid-19 specifically,” said Myllyvirta. As our understanding of the novel coronavirus evolves, and information gaps begin to be filled, some aspects of the virus require assumptions made from similar viruses.
The study cited that SARS patients from moderate APIs had an 84% increased chance of dying from the virus, compared with regions with low APIs, and concluded that although other factors may have influenced results, the possible detrimental health consequences of air pollution, especially during the SARS outbreak, “deserves further investigation”.
Hugo explained that since 31 March 2010, government, Eskom and Sasol had known the necessary compliance that their coal boilers needed to obtain by April 2020, and Sasol and Eskom knew that postponements of up to five years were a possibility. As a result, Hugo said the country’s MES were now 28 times weaker than China’s and 10 times weaker than India’s.
But what does this mean for citizens during a viral pandemic and what is government doing to protect its citizens?
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