Urban Vegetation Slows Down the Spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the United States

Abstract

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading around the world, and the United States has become the epicenter of the global pandemic. However, little is known about the causes behind the large spatial variability of the COVID-19 incidence. Here we use path analysis model to quantify the influence of four potential factors (urban vegetation, population density, air temperature, and baseline infection) in shaping the highly heterogeneous transmission patterns of COVID-19 across the United States. Our results show that urban vegetation can slow down the spread of COVID-19, and each 1% increase in the percentage of urban vegetation will lead to a 2.6% decrease in cumulative COVID-19 cases. Additionally, the mediating role of urban vegetation suggests that urban vegetation could reduce increases in cumulative COVID-19 cases induced by population density and baseline infection. Our findings highlight the importance of urban vegetation in strengthening urban resilience to public health emergencies.