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The new coronavirus appears to affect the health of people in major cities, who have been exposed to pollution for years. The inhabitants of large urban agglomerations are more likely to contract diseases, and not only respiratory, which requires an urgent “reorganization” of these cities, to give priority to pedestrian traffic and make them more welcoming, reports FE, cited by Agerpres.
This was warned by the director of the WHO Department of Public Health and Environment, María Neira, in a videoconference on Friday, who insisted that health is a public issue that needs the protection of nature, that necessary source of life, precise.
“If we destroy nature, which is our source of life, we will cause serious public health problems and we will harm ourselves,” Neira said.
A link has not yet been verified that shows that in cities with high levels of pollution, the COVID-19 infection has hit citizens the most and “it is not a coincidence,” added the UN expert.
“We have to understand that the destruction of the environment means unbridled consumption, mass trafficking, trade in wild animals, intensive agricultural practices, deforestation, plastic pollution …”, explained Neira.
These factors, together with the pollution of crowded cities and the possibility of moving around the world in 24 hours in the era of globalization, generate the “perfect cocktail” so that, in his opinion, certain viruses find the ideal conditions to spread .
“We offered them the best possible conditions and they did not miss the opportunity,” he said.
But beyond the pandemics that draw attention, the problem of climate change remains here and requires the recovery of ecosystems, which ensure our health (…) more sustainable food, smart agriculture and less polluted cities, where cars should leave to be the center of planning strategies ”, concluded the UN expert.
Editing: Alexandru Costea
