Impact of air pollution on COVID-19 mortality and morbidity; pre- and post-COVID-19 global and Turkish scenarios

Abstract

Studies suggest a positive association between increased levels of air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM), ozone, and nitrogen dioxide, and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortalityand morbidity worldwide, including Turkey. PM has been shown to carry SARS-CoV-2virus. Air pollutants can induce SARS-CoV-2 infection in human beings by both stimulating the expression of proteins (i.e., ACE2 and TMPRSS2) required for viral entry and impairing host immune defence. The objectives of this chapter are to discuss the recent epidemiological evidence, as well as the in vivo and in vitro mechanistic studies involving the impact of air pollutants on COVID-19mortalityand morbidity together with the Turkish perspective on COVID-19 from an epidemiological standpoint, focusing on air pollutionand health infrastructure during and after the pandemic. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.