Air Pollution Mediates the Association between Human Mobility and COVID-19 Infection
Abstract The effects of the restriction policies on human mobility and on the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission were reported. The efficiency of human mobility restriction due to the social distancing measures of cities on preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread remains...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.210249 |
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| author | Kang Lo Nguyen Thanh Tung Chih-Da Wu Huynh Nguyen Xuan Thao Hoang Ba Dung Tran Phan Chung Thuy Hsiao-Chi Chuang |
| author_facet | Kang Lo Nguyen Thanh Tung Chih-Da Wu Huynh Nguyen Xuan Thao Hoang Ba Dung Tran Phan Chung Thuy Hsiao-Chi Chuang |
| author_sort | Kang Lo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The effects of the restriction policies on human mobility and on the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission were reported. The efficiency of human mobility restriction due to the social distancing measures of cities on preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the mediating effects of air pollution on the association between human mobility and daily confirmed COVID-19 cases. Daily mobility data (i.e., walking, driving, and using public transport), air pollutants, and confirmed COVID-19 cases were collected in Taiwan during 1 to 30 May 2021. Associations of air pollution with 7-day-lag confirmed COVID-19 cases and with mobility were examined by linear regression models, while the mediating effects were assessed using a PROCESS analysis. We observed that an increase in air pollution was associated with an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases (p < 0.05). We found that 1 min spent on mobility was associated with changes in air pollution levels (p < 0.05). We observed that levels of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of < 10 µm (PM10), PM2.5, NO2, and CO mediated associations of walking, driving, and using public transport with confirmed COVID-19 cases (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that the nationwide restrictions (social distancing measures) may reduce human mobility and activities, which was associated with a decrease in confirmed COVID-19 cases due to the mediating effects of air pollution. Reductions in human mobility and air pollution could be effective measures for controlling COVID-19 transmission. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0248ae3a6693432bb450c2104b348726 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-8584 2071-1409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-0248ae3a6693432bb450c2104b3487262025-02-09T12:17:45ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092021-12-0122111010.4209/aaqr.210249Air Pollution Mediates the Association between Human Mobility and COVID-19 InfectionKang Lo0Nguyen Thanh Tung1Chih-Da Wu2Huynh Nguyen Xuan Thao3Hoang Ba Dung4Tran Phan Chung Thuy5Hsiao-Chi Chuang6Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan UniversityInternational Ph.D. Program in Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityDepartment of Geomatics, National Cheng Kung UniversityOtorhinolaryngology Department, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and PharmacyOtorhinolaryngology Department, Cho Ray HospitalOtorhinolaryngology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh CityDivision of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical UniversityAbstract The effects of the restriction policies on human mobility and on the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission were reported. The efficiency of human mobility restriction due to the social distancing measures of cities on preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the mediating effects of air pollution on the association between human mobility and daily confirmed COVID-19 cases. Daily mobility data (i.e., walking, driving, and using public transport), air pollutants, and confirmed COVID-19 cases were collected in Taiwan during 1 to 30 May 2021. Associations of air pollution with 7-day-lag confirmed COVID-19 cases and with mobility were examined by linear regression models, while the mediating effects were assessed using a PROCESS analysis. We observed that an increase in air pollution was associated with an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases (p < 0.05). We found that 1 min spent on mobility was associated with changes in air pollution levels (p < 0.05). We observed that levels of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of < 10 µm (PM10), PM2.5, NO2, and CO mediated associations of walking, driving, and using public transport with confirmed COVID-19 cases (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that the nationwide restrictions (social distancing measures) may reduce human mobility and activities, which was associated with a decrease in confirmed COVID-19 cases due to the mediating effects of air pollution. Reductions in human mobility and air pollution could be effective measures for controlling COVID-19 transmission.https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.210249COVID-19Air pollutionParticulate matterRestrictionSARS-CoV-2Transmission |
| spellingShingle | Kang Lo Nguyen Thanh Tung Chih-Da Wu Huynh Nguyen Xuan Thao Hoang Ba Dung Tran Phan Chung Thuy Hsiao-Chi Chuang Air Pollution Mediates the Association between Human Mobility and COVID-19 Infection Aerosol and Air Quality Research COVID-19 Air pollution Particulate matter Restriction SARS-CoV-2 Transmission |
| title | Air Pollution Mediates the Association between Human Mobility and COVID-19 Infection |
| title_full | Air Pollution Mediates the Association between Human Mobility and COVID-19 Infection |
| title_fullStr | Air Pollution Mediates the Association between Human Mobility and COVID-19 Infection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Air Pollution Mediates the Association between Human Mobility and COVID-19 Infection |
| title_short | Air Pollution Mediates the Association between Human Mobility and COVID-19 Infection |
| title_sort | air pollution mediates the association between human mobility and covid 19 infection |
| topic | COVID-19 Air pollution Particulate matter Restriction SARS-CoV-2 Transmission |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.210249 |
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