Poor air quality increases the risk of infection and serious illness due to corona

People who live in areas with poor air quality are more likely to get corona. The symptoms are also worse, causing more people to die. This is evident from research by the RIVM, Utrecht University, Wageningen University & Research and GGD GHOR Netherlands. It was already known that air pollution increases the risk of respiratory diseases and infections. Foreign research previously showed that this also applies to corona. This is now also evident from Dutch research. The results emphasize the importance of clean(er) air in the Netherlands. Scientifically, they provide insights for future epidemics.

Read the results of the research here

GGD GHOR Netherlands: more efforts are needed for better air quality
GGD GHOR Netherlands calls for ‘health’ to be put first when national, regional or local policy is determined. Only in this way can the objective of ‘a healthy generation in 2040’ be achieved. You can achieve this by focusing on healthy behavior, making healthy choices easy, providing good care, being pandemic prepared, which means that we must be prepared for a new pandemic, and of course by offering a healthy living environment, with clean, healthy air.

We know from research that air pollution in the Netherlands still causes serious health effects. André Rouvoet, chairman of GGD GHOR Netherlands: “Research shows that air pollution is one of the most important threats to health after smoking. It increases the risk of diseases such as asthma in children and heart attacks in adults. That is why GGD GHOR Netherlands calls for more efforts to improve air quality (read more).”

Municipalities can do this, for example, by participating in the Clean Air Agreement. The WHO’s message that any reduction in air pollution will lead to health benefits underlines the importance of this agreement. The GGDs therefore call on municipalities to sign the Clean Air Agreement and get started with it. And especially to connect with developments such as climate policy and the Healthy and Active Living Agreement (read more).

More information
Read more about the results of the research (click here) or download the report (click here). The current air quality in various regions can be viewed at www.luchtmeetnet.nl.