ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF COVID-19

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported in December 2019 and then characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. Globally, as of 6:32 pm CEST, 19 July 2020, there have been 14,043,176 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 597,583 deaths, reported to WHO [1].

In Latin corona means crown and there are four different subfamilies including alpha, beta, gamma and delta coronaviruses identified so far. Alpha and beta- coronaviruses have been originated from mammalians, particularly from bats, gamma- and delta- coronaviruses originated from pigs and birds [2]. The beta- coronaviruses could cause severe disease and fatalities among the other seven subtypes of these viruses. Alpha-coronaviruses cause mildly symptomatic or even asymptomatic infections.

Recently, S. Saadat et al., reported on “Environmental perspective of COVID-19”, there are approaching different perspective on COVID-19 [3].

Millions of people have been put on lockdown in order to reduce the transmission of the virus. This epidemic has also changed the people's life style; caused extensive job losses and threatened the sustenance of millions of people, as businesses have shut down to control the spread of virus. All over the world, flights have been canceled and transport systems have been closed. Overall, the economic activities have been stopped and stock markets dropped along with the falling carbon emission. However, the lock down of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the air quality in many cities across the globe to improve and drop in water pollutions in some parts of the world [2].

Figure 1 Medical wastes generated during COVID-19 pandemic in the environment [3].

Alternatively, the medical waste management could be a big issue because of COVID-19. Medical health organizations waste management companies have already taken step in coronavirus decontamination services, it is becoming very crucial for governments to find solutions soon. At the meantime, it is every individual's duty to follow the regulations while discarding of their face masks and other medical wastes [4]. The diagram in Figure 1 illustrates the problems of polluting the environment by medical wastes while COVID-19 pandemic.

Figure 2 COVID-19 impact on LST, air quality and noise ambience [5].

 Some of the researchers made research on COVID-19 pandemic persuaded lockdown effects on environment over stone quarrying and crushing areas. On their study has attempted to explore the impact of forced lockdown on environmental components like Particulate matter (PM) 10, Land surface temperature (LST), river water quality, noise using image and field derived data in pre and during lockdown periods in Figure 2. In their result clearly exhibits that LST, PM10 concentration, noise level and river water quality have reduced significantly and all these are under Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), World Health Organization (WHO) defined ambient quality level after commencing lockdown [5].

Figure 3 A self-regenerating environmental strategy of environment in global context [6].

Recently, Prof. Dr. B. Paital at Department of Zoology, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar 751003, India, recently reported on “Nurture to nature via COVID-19, a self-regenerating environmental strategy of environment in global context” [6]. On his report he mentioned that, reduction of human dominancy in environment is resulted in a drastic climate change. Mostly due to shutdown of industries and restriction of vehicular traffic, as a result, use of fossil fuels is reduced substantially. Therefore, NO2 and CO2 emissions are radically reduced in many metropolitan cities across world. Such favourable natural changes have made wildlife to move with full freedom in one hand, and the biodiversity is elevated in any areas on the other hand. Due to the reduction in air particulate matter and fall in water pollution in many places such as Italy, Spain, France, Los Angeles of USA,Wuhan city of China and New Delhi of India, people are experiencing the never seen elevated environmental revival due to cleaner air, and sparkling water bodies and beautiful wild animals roaming around human habitats. Due to shutdown of bus, train and flights, wild animals especially birds are enjoying a noise free environment. It is nothing but theMother Nature is trying to bouncing back.

Solar energy, wind meals etc. can be used instead. It is a glimpse of what the world might look like without fossil fuels but hopes that humanity could emerge from this horror into a healthier, cleaner world, and, will depend not on the short-term impact of the virus, but on the long-term political, institutional, social, communal and individual mind-set and collective decisions to give a checkmate to climate deterioration. Because, there is a chance that post-COVID-19 period would bring the pace of human dominancy and environmental pollution back. Therefore, the self regenerated nature without human effort can be everlasting with human interference during post-COVID-19 periods and regular interval lockdowns in entire planet coupled with long term holidays are suggested as one of themeasures. On the other hand, as per recent studies, along with strict social lockdown, masks must be used to prevent COVID-19.

 

References

[1]. World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports. Available on: https://covid19.who.int/.

[2]. A. Ather, B. Patel, N.B. Ruparel, A. Diogenes, K.M. Hargreaves, 2020. Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19): implications for clinical dental care. J. Endod. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2020.03.008.

[3] S. Saadat, D. Rawtani, C.M. Hussain, Science of the Total Environment 728 (2020) 138870.

 [4]. P.T. Luan, C.T.-S. Ching, 2020. A reusable mask for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Arch. Med. Res. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arcmed.2020.04.001.

[5] I. Mandal, S. Pal, Science of the Total Environment 732 (2020) 139281

[6] B. Paital, Science of the Total Environment 729 (2020) 139088

 

Blog Written By

Dr. A. S. Ganeshraja

National College

Thiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India