Are rising lower respiratory infection hospital admissions linked to dirty air?

As LRIs put pressure on health services, a Spanish-led study examines what role exposure to air pollution may play

The Covid crisis highlighted gaps in our understanding of the role that air pollution plays in infections.

A flurry of studies carried out during and after the crisis allowed a UK government advisory group to conclude that long-term exposure to air pollution may contribute to worse coronavirus symptoms. The group offered examples that included a study of more than 3 million people in Denmark that showed air pollution added to the risk of death or hospital admission with severe Covid, especially in the least well off.