Changes in healthy effects and economic burden of PM2.5 in Beijing after COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 lockdown had a positive control effect on urban air quality. However, this effect remains uncertain after the epidemic enters regular management, and furthermore, only limited data are available regarding urban PM2.5 (aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5μm) under the impact of the epidemic. We used daily ambient PM2.5 concentration data in Beijing to compare and analyze the changes in urban PM2.5 concentrations before and after the COVID-19 epidemic and to estimate the healthy effects and economic burden associated with PM2.5 before and after the epidemic. The study found that COVID-19 has a significant impact on the urban environmental PM2.5 concentration, which is manifested by the decrease in the PM2.5 concentration in Beijing during the epidemic by 27.8%. Exposure-response models estimated 56.443 (95% CI: 43.084–69.893) thousand people die prematurely in Beijing during the COVID-19 epidemic attributed to long-term PM2.5 exposure, with a 13.3% decrease in the number of premature deaths year-on-year. The total healthy economic losses attributable to PM2.5 in Beijing during the COVID-19 epidemic were 35.76 (95% CI: 28.41–42.44) billion yuan, with a per capita loss of 816.8 yuan. Strict control measures throughout the COVID-19 epidemic had a positive impact on air quality in Beijing, with a decrease in both premature deaths and economic healthy losses attributable to fine particles. This paper helps to enrich and expand the research on the impact of COVID-19 on the urban environment and provides a basis for formulating policies related to air quality improvement in the post-epidemic era.