Jules Heartly | April 21, 2020

During who knows anymore how many days of being in quarantine, following the #StayHome Mandate, we have been told in the almost hourly basis, to follow guidelines to slow/stop the spreading of the #CoronaVirus.  By now, we all know them. Even if a few choose to ignore them, we all have heard one way of another about the importance of wearing a mask, washing our hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and staying at least 6 feet apart from each other.  And while these guidelines were originally meant to be followed as a temporary measure, we now know it is no longer the case.  And perhaps we must continue following them for the next few years, or who knows if for longer.

We have been informed and educated on the reason why these measures are important to be followed, and they have been all kinds of graphics and videos etc. illustrating them.   But there is one thing we have not been told: what other factor aggravates the speed of the spread and the risk of acquiring the disease and dying from it.

Studies, both independently done by Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA in the U.S.   and by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Germany have shown the air pollution as a key element in the spreading and the increase of the risk of death from covid19 and from other viruses.

As also published in The Guardian ,a  study by researchers at  Harvard “….analyzed air pollution and Covid-19 deaths up to 4 April in 3,000 US counties, covering 98% of the population. “We found that an increase of only 1μg/m3 in PM2.5 [particles] is associated with a 15% increase in the Covid-19 death rate,” the team concluded.”

And the European study came up with similar findings:  air pollution, a key contributor to covid-19 deaths.   As their research shows that almost 80% of deaths across four European countries were in most polluted regions.  

Yaron Ogen,  from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Germany, who conducted the research, concluded: “Poisoning our environment means poisoning our own body, and when it experiences chronic respiratory stress, its ability to defend itself from infections is limited.”

None of this has been positively addressed in the U.S. until now, but perhaps this is exactly the right time to do so.  On the current discussions of how to lift up the #lockdown and how to live our lives during and after this Pandemia, we MUST include the pollution reduction measure.  The addressing climate change measure, the taking care of planet Earth guidelines.   This covid19 is perhaps the loudest wake-up call for us to take seriously the things we have been ignoring or expecting others to address.

Some European cities have already started taking measures in this regard, for example Milan is adopting a measure to reduce car pollution.  The city has announced  35 km of streets will be transformed with a rapid, experimental citywide expansion of cycling and walking space to protect residents as the restrictions are lifted.  It is time for us in the U.S.  and in Latin America to consider similar guidelines.

We have already seen how nature across the planet has benefited from this #lockdown.  It has been all over social media, clear rivers, cleaner air, less cloudy Venice channels and so forth.  So let’s keep it going!  Let’s start today, Earth day. Let’s make a commitment to be the best protectors of our resources, of clean air, of plants and animals… of our planet.

Now that we are aware of  the One Thing That Could Help Prevent The Spreading speed and risk of #coronavirus as well as other viruses and diseases, let’s just do it, for once and for all. Let’s take ACTION.

Let’s also educate our kids to do so. I invite you to share with them, the book series, I created to plant the seed of taking care of the environment, and the planet: Mornin, the Super Bird.

I also invite you to let me know of all the other ways you are helping planet Earth to be healthier than ever.  

Together, #6FeetApart, we can do this.

Thank you for reading my blog.

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