Breathing in air pollution for a long time can mess you up and make you more likely to have all sorts of health issues, according to a ton of studies.
Air pollution includes different types of gases and particles that come from various sources, like cars and factories burning gas and oil, and natural events like wildfires, volcanoes, and sandstorms. It consists of sulfur dioxide, ozone, lead, and different types of particulate matter like PM2.5 and PM10. Oh, and don’t forget that burning fossil fuels releases some pretty harmful chemicals too.
Living with pollution can increase the chances of catching infectious diseases, like maybe even COVID-19. According to one study, from March to December 2020, areas in California, Oregon, and Washington States that had wildlife haze saw around 20,000 additional COVID infections and 750 more deaths.
When you breathe in lousy air, it triggers inflammation, which is just the body doing its thing. The real worry kicks in when these attacks keep happening. Acute exposure is bad.
A study done over 15 years ago in Boston with lots of kids found that adversity magnifies a documented link between traffic-related air pollution and asthma in kids.
Air pollution is a big issue all around the world, and we all breathe the same air. By gathering evidence of how it’s messing with our health and causing inflammation, we’re hoping that people in power will finally pay attention and do something about it.
Reference- National Geographic, WHO website, Down To Earth, MNRE website, National Library Of Medicine