Impact of air pollution on mortality in metropolitan France: reduction related to the spring 2020 lockdown and long-term impact for 2016-2019

ABSTRACT

Background - The reduction of socioeconomic activities related to the spring 2020 lockdown implemented to limit the spread of COVID-19 in France led to decreases in air pollutant concentrations. Methods - The quantitative health impact assessment method was used to estimate the impact on mortality of the French population 1/in the short- and longer term, impacts of the decreases in particulate matter (PM10 and PM2,5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels observed during the lockdown;and 2/in the long term, impact on the total burden for the years 2016-2019. Results - The limiting of socioeconomic activities in the spring of 2020 reduced NO2 and PM population's exposures that resulted in 2,300 deaths avoided in relation to PM and nearly 1,200 in relation to NO2. The long-term impact of air pollution on mortality is estimated at nearly 40,000 annual deaths attributable to PM2.5 exposure and nearly 7,000 deaths attributable to NO2 exposure. Conclusion - These results show that short-term reductions in air pollution levels are associated with rapid, measurable health benefits. They confirm that even short-term public actions that reduce air pollution levels (different from lockdown, which is obviously not desirable) appear to have a significant impact on health. Moreover, the results underline that on the long-term, although mortality related to ambient air pollution shows a slight downward trend, it remains a significant risk factor in France. Therefore, efforts to reduce air pollution and associated mortality must be pursued lastingly for all sources of air pollution through tailored, ambitious policies.