Experts warn wildfire smoke could worsen COVID-19

Wildfires that have left parts of California and other Western states with some of the worst air quality in the world are posing a major threat to people with asthma and other underlying health conditions who are already at greater risk of serious COVID-19 complications. Exposure to wildfire smoke can weaken immune systems and cause respiratory illnesses, and experts worry that combining those effects with the coronavirus could lead to more severe cases, even death. As the pandemic continues to take its toll, having killed nearly 200,000 people in the U.S., the western part of the country is facing dual crises that could have a compounding effect. “At the levels of air pollution we're seeing in the Northwest now, it's a matter of concern for everyone,” said David Hill, a spokesperson for the American Lung Association. “So, certainly by itself, we’d be concerned. But with COVID circulating, having worse air quality might make it more likely for them to get infected and have worse disease with COVID-19,” he added. Wildfires have been burning in Western states for weeks, and at least 34 people have died, according to The Associated Press. When wildfires burn they release pollutants that can worsen air quality, including one known as particulate matter, which inflames the lungs and has also been linked to heart issues. The elderly and people with underlying health conditions like asthma and lung disease are at greatest risk for serious illness from both COVID-19 and poor air quality caused by wildfires. On Thursday, the city of Portland, Ore., registered “hazardous” levels of a small type of particulate matter known as fine particulate matter, or PM2.5. Other cities, like Seattle, Salem, Ore., and Fresno, Calif., showed unhealthy or very unhealthy levels of the pollutant on Thursday...MORE