American research reveals: The greater the rainfall, the higher the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19! Critical care doctors urge you not to do these "two things" during the rainy season
Has continuous rain caused an increase in the spread of the virus? Research shows: The greater the rainfall, the higher the number of confirmed cases.
It has coincided with the rainy season recently. May continuous rains increase the spread of the new coronavirus? Dr. Huang Xuan, an expert in critical care medicine, said in a social post that previous British research conducted experiments on “Bacillus pseudomallei” and learned that this type of bacteria can easily pass through the air to cause “aerosol infection” during rainfall, which can have a serious impact on human lungs. . Research shows that bacterial transmission is closely related to air temperature, soil temperature, and rainfall; it is found that when the soil temperature falls around 30°C, the virus transmission rate will reach its peak.
In addition, before the outbreak of COVID-19, a study on the spread of influenza viruses in the United States showed that at 18-21°C, if the humidity is equivalent to 13-14 grams of water per cubic meter, it will increase the spread of influenza viruses. rate; further confirming the correlation between rainfall and virus transmission.
As for whether there is a correlation between rain and the spread of the new coronavirus? Dr. Huang Xuan published a study in Science Direct and stated that global rainfall and COVID-19 cases do show a “positive correlation” trend. The study found that if the average daily rainfall increases by 1 inch (approximately 3.71 centimeters), the number of confirmed cases will increase by approximately 56.01 per day. This correlation shows a higher trend in tropical rainforest countries (such as Malaysia and Brazil).
Research also points out that the average temperature in a certain area is negatively correlated with COVID-19 cases. The colder the weather, the easier it is for the host’s immunity to weaken, increasing the chance of being infected with the virus. However, there is no correlation between the amount of rainfall and the mortality rate of COVID-19; the actual impact of the number of cases has not yet been determined, so the public does not need to worry too much.
Are the conditions for virus transmission different in the northern and southern hemispheres? Australian research reveals: The lower the humidity, the higher the number of confirmed cases
An experiment published in Wiley Online Library revealed the opposite result to the above study. The research team recorded the number of COVID-19 cases in South Wales, Australia, from January to March 2020, and found that relative humidity showed a negative correlation with the number of cases: a 1% decrease in relative humidity at 9 a.m. may increase the number of COVID-19 cases. 6.11%; while the temperature has nothing to do with the number of cases.
Dr. Huang Xuan said that a person’s place of residence, residential area, climate change, geographical conditions and other factors may affect the rainfall, humidity and temperature of the place. The transmission behavior patterns of the new coronavirus also spread at different speeds. Because climate variability is far greater than human influence, more research is still needed to determine the relationship between climate and viruses.
Avoid going out for exercise during the rainy season! If the mask is soaked, the protective effect will be worse and it will be more difficult to breathe.
Dr. Huang Xuan further explained that masks are more likely to get wet due to rain during the rainy season. Previously, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued guidelines stating that if the mask is soaked due to exercise or weather factors, it may make the mask less protective and make it easier for the virus to enter the mouth and nose along with moisture. In addition, water vapor will make it difficult to inhale and exhale, so it is not recommended to wear a mask when exercising or getting exposed to the rain during the severe epidemic period.
Dr. Huang Xuan recommends that the public should prepare 2-3 extra masks with them during the rainy season; change them at any time when they get wet, and change your clothes immediately when you return home to avoid increasing the risk of virus infection. Even though most of the current confirmed cases are mild, measures such as washing hands frequently, maintaining social distance and avoiding going out must still be maintained, which can reduce the risk of infection to people living in the same household and reduce the burden on medical practitioners.
source:
“Rainy Day Bacteria and COVID19 Virus” - Dr. Huang Xuan
Association between climate variables and global transmission oF SARS-CoV-2
The role of climate during the COVID-19 epidemic in New South Wales, Australia
Further reading:
Will suffering from “long-term COVID-19” cause unknown bruises and non-stop nosebleeds? Study: People who do not exercise are 4 times more likely to have abnormal coagulation function
