The Relationship between the Transmission of Different SARS-CoV-2 Strains and Air Quality: A Case Study in China

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 20;20(3):1943. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20031943.

Abstract

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a global public health concern for almost three years, and the transmission characteristics vary among different virus variants. Previous studies have investigated the relationship between air pollutants and COVID-19 infection caused by the original strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, it is unclear whether individuals might be more susceptible to COVID-19 due to exposure to air pollutants, with the SARS-CoV-2 mutating faster and faster. This study aimed to explore the relationship between air pollutants and COVID-19 infection caused by three major SARS-CoV-2 strains (the original strain, Delta variant, and Omicron variant) in China. A generalized additive model was applied to investigate the associations of COVID-19 infection with six air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, NO2, and O3). A positive correlation might be indicated between air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, and NO2) and confirmed cases of COVID-19 caused by different SARS-CoV-2 strains. It also suggested that the mutant variants appear to be more closely associated with air pollutants than the original strain. This study could provide valuable insight into control strategies that limit the concentration of air pollutants at lower levels and would better control the spread of COVID-19 even as the virus continues to mutate.

Keywords: COVID-19; air pollution; generalized additive model; meteorological factors; virus variants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants* / analysis
  • Air Pollution* / adverse effects
  • Air Pollution* / analysis
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • China / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Nitrogen Dioxide
  • Particulate Matter / analysis
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • Nitrogen Dioxide
  • Particulate Matter
  • Air Pollutants

Supplementary concepts

  • SARS-CoV-2 variants

Grants and funding

The research was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (52000127), the Science and Technology Project of Xi’an (22GXFW0018) and (2017071CG/RC034(SXSF002)), China Scholarship Council (201906875037), and Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (2017JQ5074).