The Covid-19 pandemic has changed many things: travel and exit restrictions have led to the fact that the traffic has massively decreased. This has reduced the air pollution, resulting in fewer deaths from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases to themselves.

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An analysis of satellite data, and values of more than 10,000 measuring stations in 27 countries found that air pollution within two weeks after the lock downs to an average of 20 percent has decreased. If the air pollution will stay until the end of the year low, the researchers assumed that worldwide, 1.6 million cases of Asthma in children and 780,000 premature deaths among adults can be avoided. The study involved the managing Director of the Max-Planck-Institute for chemistry Prof. Dr. Jos Lelieveld reported: "We estimate that in the first two weeks of the lock downs in the world of about 7,400 in early deaths and 6600 cases of Asthma in children have been avoided." Long-term improvements in air quality would have a much more focus on the health.

Air pollution reduce in the long term

Particularly in the densely populated countries of China and India, where air pollution is very high, benefit the people of the lower nitrogen dioxide, ozone and fine dust values fell near the ground, sometimes strongly.

The researchers emphasise that they consider the restrictions for the economy as desirable. Nevertheless, the importance of air pollution for the health of show significantly. Jos Lelieveld concludes from the observations: "In order to reduce the air pollution even after the corona crisis in the long term, we should aim for the exit from the combustion of fossil fuels. This would not only improve the health of people around the world, but in the medium term, protect the climate."

ZOU