The year 2020 has been a rollercoaster ride for the world. With economies crashing, entire countries in lockdown, and a near-unheard of desolation silence all day, all this seems like a scene from a sci-fi movie, except the fact that we’re in it. There are, however, some good bits about the pandemic-induced lockdown too.
According to the WHO, nearly 3 million people around the world die every year due to air pollution alone. Of those who survive, nearly 80% are exposed to harmful pollutants and suffer from diseases such as asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. This situation is much worse in developing countries, where up to 98% of the cities fall short of WHO air quality standards.
Within two to three weeks of the lockdown being announced, most major cities around the world witnessed a drop of up to 60% in air pollution levels. NO₂ pollution levels in cities like New York and New Delhi dropped drastically as road and air transport were grounded. The AQI in these cities has fallen to nearly 30- or 40-year lows.
Polluted cities are now inching close to their unpolluted cousins in terms of air quality due to vehicular movement and industrial activity being nearly zero. This has come as a boon to patients suffering from respiratory illnesses like COPD, as they are able to breathe in clean, fresh air without using their oxygen concentrators for the first time in decades.
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