Smokes from wildfire may impact our health in many ways, and a new study suggests that it can also make us vulnerable to COVID-19. The research on the health effects of wildfire smokes is conducted through the collaborative efforts of the Washoe County Health District (WHCD), the Desert Research Institute's Center for Genomic Medicine, and Reno's Renown Health.
Wildfire Smoke Cause of Reno's Spike in COVID-19 Positive Cases
The influence of wildfire smokes on our health is presented in a study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, entitled "SARS-CoV-2 test positivity rate in Reno, Nevada: association with PM2.5 during the 2020 wildfire smoke events in the western United States." According to the study, the group of experts examined the smoke produced from the recorded wildfires back in 2020, especially the western wildfires, whether they are correlated to the spike of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases in the neighboring region, specifically Reno.
The wildfire-coronavirus research was analyzed with the help of models that can identify the relationship between fine particulate matter or PM 2.5, which are harnessed from wildfire smokes, and Renown Health's data includes the rate of positive SARS-CoV-2 cases.
Prolonged Exposure to Wildfire Smoke's PM 2.5 Concentration Enhances SARS-CoV-2 Virus
The results from the observation showed that the 17.7 percent increase in positive COVID-19 cases was caused by the wildfire smoke's PM 2.5. The positive cases spiked within the period of excessive smoke exposure starting from August 16 up to October 10, 2020, NewsMedical reports.
Reno, Washoe County, is located in the northern region of Nevada. DRI research expert and co-author of the study Gai Elhanan said that the part of the state was heavily exposed to prolonged wildfire smoke last year, compared to other areas affected by the wildfire, such as Bay Area. The people from Reno contracted high levels of PM 2.5 concentrations, levels that were higher if compared to the smoke that spread across San Francisco. The wildfire smokes were stuck in the areas of Reno for 43 days which leaves a much higher chance of being exposed to the concentration than San Francisco's 26-day exposure.
Elhanan added that the reason behind the prolonged exposure from the wildfire smoke was the valley where most parts of Reno are located. This type of land formation is the perfect basin to trap the smoke, making it harder for the pollutants to spread and leave the area. Elhanan said that the whole event, although unfortunate, has contributed to the studies regarding the smoke's impact on our health. The research about the wildfire smoke's impact on COVID-19 cases was made possible with the previous studies of the experts in San Francisco and Orange County.
In conclusion, the study confirms that there is evidence of the wildfire smoke impact on the COVID-19 spread. The experts emphasized that awareness of this overlooked phenomenon must be given focus by the public health authorities. They believe that it can contribute to public preparedness and the public's knowledge from wildfire events and their health effects, Independent reports.
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