Exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 mortality in the United States: A nationwide cross-sectional study

Abstract Objectives United States government scientists estimate that COVID-19 may kill tens of thousands of Americans. Many of the pre-existing conditions that increase the risk of death in those with COVID-19 are the same diseases that are affected by long-term exposure to air pollution. We investigated whether long-term average exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) is associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 death in the United States. Design A nationwide, cross-sectional study using county-level data. Data sources COVID-19 death counts were collected for more than 3,000 counties in the United States (representing 98% of the population) up to April 22, 2020 from Johns Hopkins University, Center…

• UE
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

  Awards: 83587201-0, 83479801, ES024332, RD-83479801, 83587201, 83587201-0, RD-83479801, 1R01ES030616, 1R01AG066793-01R01
• HU
  Harvard University
• IF
  Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: 83587201, ES026217, 1R01AG066793, R01 ES024332, ES024012, P50MD010428, ES028033, 1R01ES030616, R01 ES024332-01A1, P50MD010428, ES024012, ES026217, ES028033; MD012769, ES024332, R01 ES024332-01A1, ES024332-01A1, 1R01AG066793-01R01
• FO
  Faculty of Arts and Sciences
• FD
  FAS Division of Science, Harvard University