COVID-19 Lockdown and Improvement in Air Quality Index: A Learning Lesson

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The basic requirements for human survival include air, food, and water; a decrease in quality of which has a deep impact on health. An increase in population with increasing globalization, industrialization, and increased energy demand has led to increased air pollution in cities world over. Multiple national programs to improve air quality have been unsuccessful. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-led lockdown is a large-scale experiment that is unprecedented and could not have been done at regular times. Indirect effects include cutting down emissions from industries, vehicles, and diesel generators. Materials and methods: In this ambispective observational study, we compared the air quality index (AQI) and levels of other pollutants in the two cities of Delhi and Kanpur during the period of the lockdown, the same period during the preceding year, and during the rainy season. Results: It was observed that the cities of India with notoriously polluted air, i.e., Delhi and Kanpur, had unprecedented improvement in air quality during lockdown (Delhi, AQI 86.91 � 32.38 vs 249.36 � 60.25 and Kanpur, AQI 81.60 � 38.54 vs 137.06 � 46.74). The improvement was even better than the preceding year's monsoon for Delhi. The AQI was comparable in both cities during the lockdown. Conclusion: The AQI was falling in the 搒atisfactory� range in both Delhi and Kanpur during the lockdown. This may, in turn, favorably unfold a reduction in the incidence, progression, and exacerbation of respiratory illnesses. This is an eye-opening change and calls for urgent action to maintain the same. Timely and well-framed steps should be sought; a revolutionary carbon-free and green energy economic model is much needed. Most air pollution is preventable and can be managed by humans if a stringent action plan is rolled out and implemented sternly by government agencies.