Credit: Getty ImagesDuring the current COVID-19 outbreak, the EPA has decided to ease restrictions on pollution. Public health experts are concerned this decision will endanger those who are susceptible to COVID-19 by aggravating respiratory illnesses. Historically, in virus hot spots such as New York, high rates of respiratory illnesses and high rates of pollution have been observed. Air pollution has been demonstrated to be strongly associated with the risk of developing pneumonia and individuals being sicker when pneumonia is developed. An expert from the Harvard University School of Public Health describes this situation as a “triple whammy” because this decision could likely lead to increases in medical care demands, rates of respiratory illness due to pollution and COVID-19 cases.
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