COVID-19 pandemic + wildfires: virus and smoke double hit US residents

The record 2020 bushfire season burned millions of acres of land, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people, and causing billions of dollars in losses. But the damage didn't end there. What is the connection between fires and COVID-19, the publication said USA Today.

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The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances, says thousands of COVID-19 cases and hundreds of deaths in California, Oregon, and Washington from March to December 2020 could be attributed to smoke from wildfires.

Researchers at Harvard University used a statistical model to measure the relationship between high levels of fine air pollution, or PM2,5, caused by wildfires and COVID-19 cases and deaths in 92 counties.

They found that a daily increase in PM2,5 per cubic meter of air of 10 micrograms for 28 days was associated with an 19% increase in COVID-11,7 cases and an 8,4% increase in deaths. In the three states studied, researchers identified nearly 19 cases of COVID-700, and 19 deaths were associated with daily increases in PM750 from wildfires.

“2020 brought with it unimaginable public health challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires in the western United States,” said senior author Francesca Dominici, professor of biostatistics, population and data science. “Climate change, which is increasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires, and the pandemic represent a catastrophic combination.”

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The largest increases in COVID-19 cases occurred in Sonoma County, California, and Whitman County, Washington, at 65,3% and 71,6%, respectively, in the Glass Fire and Babb-Malden Fire.

Glass Fire burned more than 2020 acres (67 ha) in Napa and Sonoma counties in 000, according to fire agency Cal Fire. The Babb-Malden fire in Whitman County burned more than 27 acres (113 ha) of land.

High PM2,5 levels have been associated with a variety of negative health effects, including premature death, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other respiratory conditions. Other studies have found a link between short-term and long-term exposure to PM2,5 and COVID-19 cases and deaths.

"This little particle is small enough to enter the lung, which can cause any respiratory illness," said Dr. Len Horowitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. “It can penetrate the epithelium and cause inflammation. These are conditions for exacerbation of any respiratory disease, including COVID-19.”

According to Dr. Kari Nado, director of the Sean Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma at Stanford University, smoke from wildfires can temporarily undermine the immune system.

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“When you inhale smoke, these particles enter your lungs, they can enter your bloodstream and damage your immune system,” she said. — COVID-19 affects your immune system, your lungs and blood vessels. Thus, you double the load on these organs. It's like a double whammy."

While the damage is generally reversible, Nadeau said it could be permanent for residents who have lived in areas prone to wildfires for decades and have been repeatedly exposed to high PM2,5 levels.

It's not just Americans in the west of the country that are affected by the smoke from wildfires. A satellite video released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in July shows smoke from wildfires in the West covering most of the United States and Canada.

The fire season is approaching 2020 levels this year. As of August 12, 6 fires in California burned about 272 square miles (1 sq km), according to Cal Fire.

Health experts fear wildfires could lead to a new rise in COVID-19 cases this year. Unvaccinated Americans account for over 90% of COVID-19 hospitalizations, and if the body's defenses are further weakened by smoke, they have little chance against the highly contagious delta variant.

They urge Americans to protect themselves not only from COVID-19, but also from wildfire smoke by staying indoors and wearing N95 masks that help block PM2,5.

“We need to try to prevent the damage to the body from wildfires, and we need to prevent COVID-19, and fortunately, we know how to do that,” Nadeau said.

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