Studies including ours showed that air pollution exposure was associated with increased risks of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) incidence and severity, including COVID-19–related hospitalizations. Most studies were conducted during the early pandemic when COVID-19 vaccination was not administered widely. Few studies have been conducted after the vaccination campaign. It is unknown how COVID-19 vaccination affects the adverse effects of air pollution exposure. This research letter reports findings assessing associations of long- and short-term exposures to three ambient air pollutants: nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particles (PM2.5), and ozone (O3) with COVID-19–related hospitalizations during July and August of 2021 when the Delta variant was the dominant strain, COVID-19 vaccines had been distributed over 7 months, and booster vaccines had not yet started; and effect modification with COVID-19 vaccination.
Published Jan 15, 2023
Chen, Z., Sidell, M. A., Huang, B. Z., Chow, T., Martinez, M. P., Lurmann, F., Gilliland, F. D., & Xiang, A. H. (2023). The Independent Effect of COVID-19 Vaccinations and Air Pollution Exposure on Risk of COVID-19 Hospitalizations in Southern California. Https://Doi.Org/10.1164/Rccm.202206-1123LE, 207(2), 218–221. https://doi.org/10.1164/RCCM.202206-1123LE