2021 Air Quality and Health Virtual Workshop

Our 18th Air Quality and Health (Virtual) Workshop will focus on the air quality and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

People infected with COVID-19 experience a range in symptoms and severity of illness. In severe cases, infection can lead to hospitalization and death. Previous work provides evidence to suggest that exposure to air pollution increases susceptibility to respiratory viral infections and pneumonia.

Early in 2020, the coronavirus began spreading rapidly across the world and the health care systems in many jurisdictions were becoming overwhelmed. In response, many countries attempted to control transmission of the virus with various strategies to limit contact between people, including lockdowns, travel restrictions, business closures, and recommendations for people to stay home.

Researchers world-wide have taken advantage of this phenomenon to study the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on air quality. At the same time, there have also been efforts to evaluate the effect of air pollution on COVID-19 transmission and illness severity.

The 2021 BC Lung Air Quality and Health Workshop will explore the latest research on the relationship between air quality and COVID-19, including:

• How COVID-10 restrictions have impacted air quality across the globe
• The mechanisms, biology and epidemiology of respiratory infections, particularly in the context of COVID-19 infections,
• The impact of poor air quality on COVID-19 transmission and illness severity, and
• The implications of current research on public policy and interventions