Did the Pandemic-Induced Lockdown help in Improving the Health of COPD Patients?

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Did the Pandemic-Induced Lockdown help in
Improving the Health of COPD Patients?
The year 2020 has been a rollercoaster ride for
the world. With economies crashing, entire
countries in lockdown and a near-unheard of
desolation silence all day, all this seems like a
scene from a sci-fi movie, except the fact that
were in it. There are, however, some good bits
about the pandemic-induced lockdown too.
According to the WHO, nearly 3 million people
around the world die every year due to air
pollution alone. Of those who survive, nearly 80
are exposed to harmful pollutants and suffer
from diseases such as asthma, COPD and lung
cancer. This situation is much worse in
developing countries, where up to 98 of the
cities fall short of WHO air quality
standards. Within two to three weeks of the
lockdown being announced, most major cities
around the world witnessed a drop of up to 60
in air pollution levels. NO2 pollution levels in
cities like
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New York and New Delhi dropped drastically as
road and air transport were grounded. The AQI in
these cities has fallen to nearly 30- or 40-year
lows. Polluted cities are now inching close to
their unpolluted cousins in terms of air quality
due to vehicular movement and industrial
activity being nearly zero. This has come as a
boon to patients suffering from respiratory
illnesses like COPD, as they are able to breathe
in clean, fresh air without using their oxygen
concentrators for the first time in decades. As
nature begins to heal itself from the destruction
caused by us, our lakes, rivers, seas, and
oceans have clearer water and many rivers
considered dead by environmentalists are
brimming with life. Low pollution levels have
helped people get access to cleaner, pollutant-
free water, helping them feel better and be
healthier. The pandemic also gave us a way to
peek into the future with cleaner transportation
systems. Somewhat akin to a massive science
experiment, all fossil fuel vehicles were off the
road during the lockdown, and we could see what
our environs would feel like with just electric
transport. People have also learned how to live
without vehicles, and many cities have already
started to witness a 50-60 reduction in traffic
despite relaxations in the lockdown. If this
trend continues, we will soon see a marked
decrease in AQI, ensuring fresh, clean air for us
and our future generations to come.
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