Friday, January 31, 2025

Wildfires Can Exacerbate COVID-19 Cases and Deaths

Fires May Exacerbate Cases of COVID-19
Photo: Manuel Ortiz

A recent study highlights that exposure to fine particles (PM 2.5) produced by forest fires is associated with a higher risk of cases and deaths from COVID-19.

According to the study published in Science Advances on August 13, researchers found strong evidence that wildfires amplified the effect of short-term exposure to PM 2.5, although with substantial variation across counties.

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