Coronavirus, air pollution menace! Here is how to protect from double trouble

Coronavirus, Air Pollution in Delhi: People in Delhi are facing twin threats in form of air pollution menace and Coronavirus pandemic. While there is no study in India that can reveal the impact of air pollution on Covid-19 affected individuals, experts have warned about the detrimental impact. It’s high time to prepare ourselves to protect from air pollution as well as the Coronavirus.

Max Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi principal director and head Vivek Nangia said that Air pollution weakens the respiratory tract and has an adverse impact on the lung functions. This increases the probability of getting infected by the Coronavirus. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital pulmonologist Dhiren Gupta said that both pollutants and Coronavirus have an ‘inflammatory’ impact on the lungs. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital pediatrician Hema Gupta Mittal said that the hospital is reporting several patients with respiratory issues but the authority was also conducting Coronavirus tests on them. Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj doctor Richa Sareen said that air pollution will help aerosols stay in the air for a longer period of time and this will be conducive for Covid19 to spread. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the US had conducted a study that shows the risk of death from Coronavirus increases if there is long-term exposure to PM2.5.

There are several precautions that one can take. One must not visit crowded places. One needs to wear masks while roaming outside. One can use air purifiers at home. People suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma must avoid going out especially during the early morning and late evening. One must avoid exercising outside, as per Indian Express report.

One must follow a strict diet pattern to cope up with air pollution. For the diet part, one must have homemade food and must not skip meals. One must maintain a high level of hydration. One must continue with vitamin C, D, and zinc supplements, the IE report says.