ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Impact of City Lockdown and Air Pollution
on the Spread of Covid-19
More details
Hide details
1
School of Management, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310013, China
2
China Academy of Housing & Real Estate, Zhejiang University of Technology Hangzhou 310013, China
Submission date: 2023-03-20
Final revision date: 2023-06-03
Acceptance date: 2023-06-11
Online publication date: 2023-08-01
Publication date: 2023-09-08
Corresponding author
Yu-Wei Wang
School of Management, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310013, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2023;32(5):4555-4577
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Considering the high variability of Covid-19 and unknown sequelae of rebound infections.
We may be caught in a long-term struggle against the virus. The evaluation and summary
of past anti-epidemic policies highlight profound practical significance for either decision makers
or individuals. This paper applies both theoretical and empirical approaches to study the impact of city
lockdown and air pollution on Covid-19. First, we apply an extended Susceptible-Infected-Removed
(SIR) model to identify the relationship between lockdown, air pollution, and Covid-19 cases. Second, we
apply the Differences-in-Differences (DID) model and Poisson Pseudo-Maximum Likelihood (PPML)
model to test the impact of lockdown on Covid-19, by sorting out lockdown policies implemented by
cities during the epidemic. Third, we empirically analyze the impact of air pollution on Covid-19,
based on daily data from 257 cities in China. Finally, we examine the mechanism by which lockdown
impacts Covid-19. Newly confirmed Covid-19 cases are reduced by 31.1% nationwide (excluding
Wuhan) during the lockdown period. Regions with lower air pollution experience fewer Covid-19 cases.
Air pollution aggravates Covid-19, with the pollutants PM2.5, PM10, NO2, CO, and O3 having the
greatest impact. The results indicate that an increase in one unit of air quality index (AQI) concentrations
is associated with 1.723 more newly confirmed cases. The effects of air pollution on the spread
of Covid-19 diminish as the population size increases. Lockdown can inhibit the spread of Covid-19
by reducing air pollution and population movement.