ABSTRACT
Recent studies have shown a relationship between air pollution and increased vulnerability and mortality due to COVID-19. Most of these studies have looked at developed countries. This study examines the relationship between long-term exposure to air pollution and COVID-19-related deaths in four countries of Latin America that have been highly affected by the pandemic: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. Our results suggest that an increase in long-term exposure of 1 µg/m3 of fine particles is associated with a 2.7 percent increase in the COVID-19 mortality rate. This relationship is found primarily in municipalities of metropolitan areas, where urban air pollution sources dominate, and air quality guidelines are usually exceeded. By focusing the analysis on Latin America, we provide a first glimpse on the role of air pollution as a risk factor for COVID-19 mortality within a context characterized by weak environmental institutions, limited health care capacity and high levels of inequality.
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants , Air Pollution , COVID-19 , Humans , Latin America/epidemiology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Air Pollution/adverse effects , Air Pollution/analysis , Mexico , Cities/epidemiology , Air Pollutants/adverse effects , Air Pollutants/analysis , Environmental Exposure/adverse effects , Environmental Exposure/analysis , Particulate Matter/adverse effects , Particulate Matter/analysis , MortalityABSTRACT
The material conditions of the city offer evidence of socio-territorial segregation. When sanitary measures to control the spread of COVID-19 were applied, those conditions made the extent of segregation in Santiago evident. Thus, the city, neighborhood, and housing scales open possible points of analysis to better understand the care crisis at the territorial level, where segregation and mutual support have been its main characteristics. © 2021, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile 1. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The material conditions of the city offer evidence of socio-territorial segregation. When sanitary measures were applied to control the spread of COVID-19, these conditions made the extent of segregation in Santiago. Thus, the city, neighborhood and housing scales offer inputs to understand the care crisis at a territorial level, where segregation and mutual support have been its main characteristics.