A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Impact of Selected Meteorological Factors on COVID-19 Incidence in Southern Finland during 2020-2021
Authors: Haga Lisa, Ruuhela Reija, Auranen Kari, Lakkala Kaisa, Heikkilä Anu, Gregow Hilppa
Publisher: MDPI
Publication year: 2022
Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Journal name in source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Journal acronym: INT J ENV RES PUB HE
Article number: 13398
Volume: 19
Issue: 20
Number of pages: 14
eISSN: 1660-4601
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013398
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013398
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/177244217
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
We modelled the impact of selected meteorological factors on the daily number of new cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa in southern Finland from August 2020 until May 2021. We applied a DLNM (distributed lag non-linear model) with and without various environmental and non-environmental confounding factors. The relationship between the daily mean temperature or absolute humidity and COVID-19 morbidity shows a non-linear dependency, with increased incidence of COVID-19 at low temperatures between 0 to -10 degrees C or at low absolute humidity (AH) values below 6 g/m3. However, the outcomes need to be interpreted with caution, because the associations found may be valid only for the study period in 2020-2021. Longer study periods are needed to investigate whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a seasonal pattern similar such as influenza and other viral respiratory infections. The influence of other non-environmental factors such as various mitigation measures are important to consider in future studies. Knowledge about associations between meteorological factors and COVID-19 can be useful information for policy makers and the education and health sector to predict and prepare for epidemic waves in the coming winters.
Keywords:
Absolute humidity, COVID-19 incidence, distributed lag non-linear model, meteorological factors, SARS-CoV-2
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |