‘Fewer people with respiratory problems despite high pollution this year’

Even after deteriorating air quality, city sees no ‘substantial rise’ in number of people with respiratory issues visiting hospitals

December 05, 2020 11:59 pm | Updated December 06, 2020 12:00 am IST - New Delhi

Safety first:  Girls wearing masks at Connaught Place.

Safety first: Girls wearing masks at Connaught Place.

There is no “substantial increase” in the number of people visiting clinics and hospitals with respiratory problems after the city’s air quality started deteriorating this year, doctors of multiple hospitals and clinics said.

In the past, more number of patients with respiratory problems visited healthcare facilities during the winter, when the air pollution is high.

However, this year, it has varied as patients are not going to hospitals either due to fear of contracting the virus or of being tested COVID-19 positive if they go to a hospital with respiratory problems, doctors said.

Masks, staying indoors

However, doctors also said that a fewer people may be actually affected by pollution this year as people are using masks due to the pandemic.

Also, people are staying indoors more due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Despite many bigger hospitals being turned to COVID-19 facilities this year or other healthcare services being restricted, smaller clinics are also not witnessing the seasonal spike in the number of patients compared to previous years, according to doctors of at least four other smaller clinics.

Interestingly, Delhi’s air was more polluted in November this year than 2019 and there were nine days when the air pollution was in the “severe” category.

The spike in air pollution levels corresponded to an increase in visits by children to hospital emergency rooms for treatment of acute respiratory infections, according to a two-year-long study in Delhi by AIIMS and other hospitals from June 2017 to February 2019.

“Due to the pandemic, fewer people are going to hospitals in general and even fewer to bigger hospitals. Every year, we see a rise in the number of patients when the pollution is high. But this year we are not seeing a similar rise,” N.N. Mathur, director of Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital told The Hindu .

He added that people are using masks due to the pandemic which is helping to prevent respiratory problems.

AIIMS doctors said that their pulmonary department OPD services was not running in full capacity as it used to before the pandemic and hence, fewer people are visiting the hospital compared to last year.

Most affected

“Elderly people and children, who are the most affected by pollution, are staying indoors due to COVID-19 restrictions and schools being shut. Hence, they are not exposed to higher pollution levels outside their homes,” said Girish Tyagi, secretary of Delhi Medical Council. He too emphasised on the impact of masks.

According to the World Health Organization, the combined effects of ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution cause about seven million premature deaths worldwide every year. This is largely due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Long-term exposure to outdoor and household air pollution contributed to over 1.67 million annual deaths from stroke, heart attack, and other diseases in India in 2019, according to the State of Global Air 2020 by the U.S.-based Health Effects Institute. Overall, air pollution is now the largest risk factor for death among all health risks, as per report.

Sanjay Dhar, who runs a clinic in B.K. Dutt Colony, said, “When people are facing respiratory problems, many of them are scared that they might test COVID-19 positive and are trying to stay home. Others are scared of contracting it from a medical facility. Masks and indoor stays may also be helping to keep other respiratory ailments at bay.”

Undertake study

Shikha Yaduvanshi, who works at a New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC)-run clinic, also had a similar view, but said that some of her regular patients are contacting her over phone to get medicines, instead of coming to the clinic.

Most of the doctors said that the government should undertake a study to find out whether people are actually less affected due to air pollution this year.

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