Marshall Burke: China’s Coronavirus Lockdown Likely Saved 77,000 Lives Just By Reducing Pollution | Forbes

Forbes covers a new analysis by affiliate Marshall Burke on the environmental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, showing that the coronavirus lockdown in China significantly reduced pollution and potentially saved thousands of lives.

“China’s coronavirus lockdown likely saved tens of thousands of lives by slashing air pollution from factories and vehicles, according to a new analysis by a Stanford University scientist.

Earth Systems Professor Marshall Burke used data from U.S. government sensors in four Chinese cities to measure levels of PM2.5, the tiny particulate matter considered the primary cause of death from air pollution. He averaged the drop in pollution levels and calculated the subsequent effect on mortality nationwide.

Two months of pollution reduction ‘likely has saved the lives of 4,000 kids under 5 and 73,000 adults over 70 in China,’ he writes on G-Feed, a blog maintained by seven scientists working on Global Food, Environment and Economic Dynamics.”

Source: Study: Coronavirus Lockdown Likely Saved 77,000 Lives In China Just By Reducing Pollution