Harvard Study Finds Link between Air Pollution and Increase in COVID-19 Deaths
"The coronavirus pandemic has made it clearer than ever that human and planetary health are intimately interconnected. The choice is ours to act accordingly." World Economic Forum[1]
A new study released by the Harvard T.H. Chan Department of Public Health found that
"People with COVID-19 who live in U.S regions with high levels of air pollution are more likely to die from the disease than people who live in less polluted areas...the researchers found that a small increase in long-term exposure to PM2.5 leads to a large increase in the COVID-19 death rate."[2]
This study has implications for Washington County, Oregon, where PM2.5 levels exceeded Clean Air Quality standards in 2011 and 2013.[3] Though the EPA identified fuel combustion as the largest contributor to PM2.5 emissions in this jurisdiction, Washington County opted to lay the blame almost exclusively on wood stoves, thereby absolving airports and industrial polluters of responsibility for reducing their toxic emissions.[4] Despite the efforts by the county and City of Hillsboro to reduce wood smoke, the problem persists.
According to the Oregon DEQ,
"Recent monitoring data has shown high particulate levels at the DEQ air monitor located in Hillsboro (one of two monitors in Washington County). While the region is not currently over the federal health standard for PM2.5, it is getting close and poor air quality could result in adverse health and economic impacts to the region and beyond...
"PM2.5 is a mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets found in the air. PM2.5 can be inhaled deep into the lungs and can lodge there for weeks and months, aggravating asthma, heart disease, and other respiratory and heart conditions. The primary source of PM2.5 is from woodstoves, although cars, backyard burning, industry, and commercial activities can also contribute to PM2.5 levels."[5]
Though DEQ claims Washington County and Hillsboro are addressing serious air quality concerns, there is no evidence whatsoever that they are taking steps to stop the fossil-fuel burning aviation industry and other corporate polluters from exposing this community on a daily basis to unhealthy levels of PM2.5 and other pollutants.
Oregon's General Aviation Airport Users Continue to Disregard Governor's Stay Home, Stay Safe Order
In recognition that recreational pilots and flight training schools do not provide an essential service, a number of flight training schools around the country have closed in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. In Oregon, however, though the Governor issued a Stay Home, Stay Safe order, the general aviation industry is not being held to the same standards as everyone else. This reflects the State of Oregon's long history of pandering to the one percent, including those who can afford to own airports, flight schools and aviation businesses, as well as private jets, planes and helicopters.
What this means for local residents is that flight instructors and their student, as well as private pilots, are circling and looping repeatedly, often for an hour or more, over homes and neighborhoods, with no consideration for the noise, stress and pollution this generates for people trying to work from home, care for their families and educate their children. The insensitivity demonstrated by these pilots, especially in the midst of a pandemic, is hard to fathom. Sadly, it is very much in keeping with the long-established indifference and disregard for local residents exhibited by the users of general aviation airports, including flight training schools and private pilots who apparently consider their urge to engage in recreational flying as "essential."
Did You Accidently Kill Someone Today?
Poignant and compelling ads encouraging people to abide by Governor Brown's Stay Home, Stay Safe order began appearing on TV in recent weeks. They are a joint effort launched by the State of Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority and the Weiden and Kennedy advertising agency. One of the ads opens with the question, "Did you accidently kill someone today?" It then explains that, "If we don't stay home we will continue to spread the coronavirus...5 people you know could lose their lives...1.4% of all Oregonians could die." The ad closes by telling viewers "It's up to you how many people live or die. Don't accidentally kill someone."
A second ad points out that, "Most coronavirus patients take days to develop the first symptoms which means you could be sick right now and not know it, but you're already extremely contagious. So if you leave your house you could be infecting more people. One sick person infects on average 3 others. Those 3 then infect 9 and those quickly turn into 27, 81, 243, 729, 2817, 6561, 19683. So if you're wondering if you should stay home or not, ask yourself: Do I want to kill someone today?"
Flight training schools, private pilots and other general aviation airport users should be asking themselves this same question. "Do I want to kill someone today?" And they may also want to reflect on how many people they may have already endangered by continuing to fly in the midst of the pandemic. To date, the reckless refusal of this population to consider their role in spreading this virus and in further compromising air quality can have a far-reaching and potentially deadly impact. A flight instructor and student pilot sharing a small aircraft cannot adhere to the six-foot distancing rule. In addition, they may be exposing others they come into contact with by not staying home.
Each one of these pilots encounter people on their way to and from the airport, while refueling at the airport and during their various other activities. As such they as likely to transmit the disease as anyone else.
Coronavirus Impacting Vulnerable Populations
It has become increasingly clear that people of color, elderly populations, and people of limited economic means are far more susceptible to contracting and dying from COVID-19 than other demographics. These findings demonstrate the inherent social disparities in the way this pandemic is playing out.
Oregon's failure to enforce the Stay Home, Stay Safe order at general aviation airports underscores the special privileges accorded to certain socioeconomic groups and, as such, serves as yet another example of the classism and elitism inherent in how the pandemic is being handled. Those affluent enough to own airports, flight training schools, private jets and recreational aircraft completely ignore the order and, in the process, put untold numbers at risk. Some of the worst offenders are Hillsboro Aero Academy/Hillsboro Aviation, Hagele Aviation, and ATP, all aviation businesses that provide flight training out of the Hillsboro Airport. The Port of Portland, which owns and operates both the Hillsboro and Troutdale Airports, has also failed to exhibit leadership in curtailing non-essential flight training and recreational general aviation activity. In addition, the Scappoose Airpark, where Senator Betsy Johnson and her husband John Helm own a business, continues to profit from aviation activity as does Stark's Twin Oaks, McMinnville Airport, and a host of airports around the state.
A Depiction of Flight Training Activity
This screenshot shows the extent to which general aviation airport users have totally ignored Governor Brown's Stay Home, Stay Safe order. Please bear in mind that this is but a single snapshot of a single moment used for illustrative purposes. In fact, on most sunny days, excessive aviation activity has continued throughout the duration of the pandemic despite multiple warnings from the CDC, the World Health Organization, doctors and scientists about the dangers of spreading this highly contagious virus.
This FlightRadar24 screenshot was captured on 4/17/2020 at 2:48 pm. It shows a cluster of general aviation aircraft in the vicinity of the Hillsboro Airport and other nearby airports including but not limited to McMinnville, Stark's Twin Oaks, and Scappoose Airpark. There are 25 or more general aviation aircraft in this picture. In keeping with the coronavirus ads discussed earlier in this posting, and assuming there is one pilot per aircraft, though there are likely more, each one of these pilots, if carriers of the coronavirus, could infect 3 other people thereby tripling the spread of the virus to 75. These 75 people could each transmit the virus to 3 more people, increasing the spread to 225. The 225 then expands to 675, 2025, 6075, 18225... This is just a single example of the potential for exponential transmission of this disease when careless, irresponsible people and businesses refuse to do their part in containing this devastating virus.
Concluding Remarks
Just as the majority of Oregonians are sheltering in place to help contain the spread of this devastating disease, so too should users of general aviation airports. And even when the Stay Home, Stay Safe order is lifted, substantial reductions in flight training and recreational flying will need to be established to protect air quality, public health, and livability from the toxic noise and emissions released by these aircraft.
Sources
[1] The Deadly Link between COVID-19 and Air Pollution. World Economic Forum. (4/15/2020. Last accessed on-line on 4/17/2020.
[2] Air Pollution Linked with Higher COVID-19 Death Rates. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Last accessed on line on 4/17/2020.
[3] Particulate Pollution in Washington County (Q&A). Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Last accessed on-line on 4/16/2020.
[4] Hammill, Luke. Hillsboro Hoping to Curtail Harmful PM2.5 Emissions; Industry's Contribution Called 'Insignificant'. (Updated 1/10/2019). Oregonian/OregonLive. Last accessed on-line on 4/16/2020.
[5] Particulate Pollution in Washington County. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Last accessed on-line on 4/17/2020.
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