In response to the April 9 Salt Lake Tribune article, “Study shows air pollution makes COVID-19 even more dangerous and deadly, Utah activists warn”:
Right now, the whole world is experiencing a sort of pause. This is a vital opportunity for us to reflect not only on our personal health, but on public health as a whole.
A key player in public health is our environment, and as most Utahns are painfully aware, our air quality is less than ideal. At this turning point in the history of 21st century public health, it is crucial that we not only reconsider the factors that have led to the rapid spread of COVID-19, but also the factors that put our communities more at risk of severe infection or death; in this case, our horrendous air quality.
The visible winter inversion, as well as the inconspicuous yet detrimental pollution hanging low in the valley all year, is clearly leading to more lung disease in Utahns. At this time of crisis, it is important that we protect our citizens now and in the future. This necessitates that organizations like the Utah Department of Environmental Quality recognize the immediate concerns of Utah physicians and make swift changes to prevent death rates from COVID-19 from rising, as well as protecting deaths from lung disease in decades to come.
Chelsea Hafer, Park City