The Effects of Climate and Bioclimate on COVID-19 Cases in Poland

Piotr A Werner,Małgorzta Kęsik-Brodacka,Robert Olszewski,Urszula Szczepankowska-Bednarek,Mariusz Porczek,Oleh Skrynyk

doi:10.3390/rs13234946

Piotr A Werner, Małgorzta Kęsik-Brodacka + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13234946

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Abstract

The correlations between air temperatures, relative and absolute humidity, wind, cloudiness, precipitation and number of influenza cases have been extensively studied in the past. Because, initially, COVID-19 cases were similar to influenza cases, researchers were prompted to look for similar relationships. The aim of the study is to identify the effects of changes in air temperature on the number of COVID-19 infections in Poland. The hypothesis under consideration concerns an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases as temperature decreases. The spatial heterogeneity of the relationship under study during the first year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic in Polish counties is thus revealed.

Highlights

The impact of local meteorological factors on influenza morbidity has been observed in different geographical places in moderate northern latitudes
Correlations between air temperature, relative and absolute humidity, wind, cloudiness, and precipitation and the number of influenza cases have been extensively studied in various regions of the world [1,2,3]
The similarity between COVID-19 and influenza cases prompted researchers to look for similar relationships

Summary

Introduction

The impact of local meteorological factors on influenza morbidity has been observed in different geographical places in moderate northern latitudes. Correlations between air temperature, relative and absolute humidity, wind, cloudiness, and precipitation and the number of influenza cases have been extensively studied in various regions of the world [1,2,3]. Because some viral infections that occur during the cold seasons of the year are commonly called “colds”, which emphasizes their association with low temperature [4,5]. The risk of infection can paradoxically be reduced when the temperature drops to very low values [5,6,7]. Worldwide epidemiological analyses have shown a significant negative (weak to moderate) correlation (R) between temperature and the number of cases (incidence), mortality, recovered cases, and active cases of the COVID-19, with statistical significance

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