It is safe to say that polluted air impacts our
lives much like a pandemic.
The continuous exposure to polluted air
weakens our immune systems and can
severely affect our ability to fight off viruses
—in particular, respiratory illnesses such as
SARS CoV-2 and seasonal influenza.
So what are these pollutants and how do we
know if we've been exposed? Unfortunately,
there are many variables that make exposure
difficult to identify. Additionally, these PM 2.5
pollutants are very fine, inhalable particles
which are not always visible to the human eye.
Examples include dust, ash, and soot.
During the wildfires that spread across
California, Oregon, and Washington in early
September 2020, the air quality was so poor
that businesses had to shut down. Some
care facilities had to evacuate due to the
increase in pollution, which severely impacts
those already compromised due to other
underlying health conditions. While we are all
concerned about how we can mitigate the risk
of viral transmission, we also have to be very
cognizant of the other invisible killers lurking in
our homes, office buildings, and public places.
5
Compare that to the 430,000 COVID-
19-related deaths we've seen in the
United States over the past year.
