COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions Research Articles

The effect of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on women’s alcohol consumption in Victoria, Australia – an event-level study

ABSTRACT Background The aims of this study were to assess the impact of the lockdowns on Victorian women’s alcohol consumption and to examine impacts by age. Methods 149 Victorian women (Mage (SD) = 42.6 (12.7)) completed 2,416 weekly surveys between May 2020 and February 2021. Multi-level models were estimated to assess the impact of COVID-19 lockdown period and age on the frequency and quantity of participants’ weekly drinking. Results Overall, reductions in Victorian women’s alcohol consumption were observed during both lockdowns, although greater reductions were apparent during the stricter lockdown with curfew. Both lockdowns also resulted in larger reductions in weekly drinking quantity, with fewer changes to drinking frequency. Conclusions The COVID-19 lockdowns resulted in overall reductions in the quantity, and to a lesser extent, the frequency of women’s drinking in Victoria and these effects were significantly larger for younger women (aged 18–29).

Assessment of seasonal variations in the air quality index (2019–2022) in Al-Jahra city, Kuwait

The daily air quality indices (AQIs) for pollutants, including particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO2), ozone (O3), and sulfur dioxide (SO2), were evaluated for the period of 2019–2022 in Al-Jahra City, Kuwait. This study is designed to (1) evaluate overall and seasonal changes in pollutants, (2) investigate the correlation for PM10 and PM2.5 and other pollutants during each season, and (3) examine the best model for prediction of air pollutant concentration of PM10 and PM2.5. An assessment of air quality indices was carried out by using different algorithms models, including random forest (RF), an artificial neural network (ANN), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). The overall level of PM10, PM2.5, and SO2 pollutants shows an increasing trend from 2019 to 2022, reaching their highest in 2022 with a significant decrease in 2020 during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The pollutants CO and O3 reached their peak in 2021.The obtained results showed that the PM10 and O3 levels are higher in the summer, whereas PM2.5, NO2, and CO were recorded at the highest levels during spring, autumn, and winter respectively due to a variation in the meteorologic condition. Furthermore, during the winter season, the PM10 is positively correlated with CO (rp = 0.401), NO2 (rp = 0.121), and SO2 (rp = 0.119) AQIs while PM2.5 is significantly positively correlated with the CO (rp = 0.198), O3 (rp = 0.310), and SO2 (rp = 0.129) AQIs. In contrast, the performance of XGBoost is a more reliable predictor for PM10 and PM2.5 levels.

Effects of COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions among Community Members of Vhembe District in Limpopo Province

The mental well-being of many community members was seriously impacted by COVID-19, with some experiencing the loss of loved ones and others losing jobs due to lockdown-related company cutbacks. There is evidence indicating that many people faced challenges in accessing essential services, including healthcare. This study aimed at investigating the effects of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions among community members of the Vhembe District, in Limpopo Province, South Africa. A qualitative, exploratory design was used for this study. Data were collected from 54 participants through nine focus group interviews with six participants each. This study identified two main themes originating from data analysis: community mental health during COVID-19 lockdown, lockdown regulations, and challenges encountered. The participants discussed the impact of COVID-19 during lockdown. This research underscores the vital necessity of implementing harm reduction strategies and long-term service policies for this group. It also emphasizes the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion in upholding the rights of marginalized populations.

Puppy Socialisation Experiences in Relation to Age and COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions in the UK and ROI.

Limited socialisation can contribute to the development of undesirable dog behaviours. The COVID-19 lockdown potentially limited socialisation opportunities, which may negatively impact the future behaviour of puppies raised during lockdown. Data were gathered from longitudinal study participants in the United Kingdom/Republic of Ireland via multiple questionnaires between May 2016 and November 2022. The impact of age and lockdown phase (pre-, during, and post-) on the types of socialisation experiences of 8-to-19-week-old puppies and the recency of socialisation experiences of approximately 6-month-old puppies were examined. Puppies under 19-weeks had significantly more types of socialisation experiences (from a predefined list) as they aged, and pre-lockdown compared to post-lockdown, but not between other lockdown phases. Most 6-month-old puppies had met a new adult or dog outside the household, a familiar dog, and/or a child within the last 1-7 days, and this was similar between lockdown phases. During lockdown, 6-month-old puppies experienced longer periods between meeting a new adult in their home. Puppies were hypothesised to have had fewer experiences during lockdown, but this was not found. However, the quantity and quality of these experiences may have been affected. Future research within this longitudinal study will explore relationships between the timing and type of experiences had by puppies and their subsequent behaviour.

From the bar to the cowshed: the impact of COVID-19 on female sex workers in Pattaya, Thailand

The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the health and wellbeing of populations around the world, with vulnerable groups, including sex workers, being disproportionately affected. This study explored the effects of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on the lives of female sex workers in Pattaya, Thailand. In-depth interviews with ten women were used to explore the ways in which they sought to cope during the crisis using Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping. Findings suggest that those who could, tended to seek economic shelter with their parents in rural parts of the country during the pandemic. However, those who could not relocate to be with family were forced to try to eke out a living in other ways, which could be both challenging and dangerous. None reported receiving any financial support from national or local authorities, to whom they were invisible, and this placed tremendous pressure on both them and their families. The authors conclude that the pandemic further highlights the need for the Thai Government to accept the reality of sex work and seek to both legitimise and protect vulnerable women and their labour.

Older People’s Understandings and Experiences of Using Health and Social Care Services under COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions in Aotearoa, New Zealand

Internationally, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in changes to services as governments funneled health-related funding and resources into stopping the spread of COVID-19. At the same time, older people were singled out as an “at-risk” group, which prompted caution from both older people and governments to limit their exposure to COVID-19. It remains unclear what the impact this has had on older people’s routine health and social care access, and how older people themselves viewed these changes. This analysis investigates older people’s understanding and experiences of using health and social care services under the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in 2020. This analysis draws from a wider, letter-writing study that received 748 letters from 854 participants aged 70 years and older who were living in New Zealand during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Just over half of letter writers described access to health and social care services. Informed by Penchansky and Thomas’ 5 A’s of the access framework, we conducted a thematic analysis of this subsample of letters (n = 404). This analysis identified four broad categories relating to access to health and social care services under COVID-19 lockdown restrictions: (a) the system-wide strangeness of physically accessing services, (b) accommodation of services, (c) availability of resources and personnel, and (d) enhanced quality of those included by services. Rather than passively accepting changes, older people adapted to restrictions by drawing on their available materials and social resources. We conclude this analysis with suggestions for improving future interventions and policies to better older people’s access to health and social care during times of crisis.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Early Intervention Services Use Among Children with Developmental Disabilities

Early Intervention (EI) is a federally-funded program that provides therapies for children with developmental delays. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions in Philadelphia in 2020, these services made a rapid change to virtual service delivery. We sought to explore the experiences of families in accessing online therapy. We recruited families to participate in a mixed methods study in order to evaluate changes in the initiation and use of EI services pre- and post-pandemic lockdown. Of the 94 who completed surveys, 27 families were purposively sampled for semi-structured telephonic interviews to identify their perceptions of program assistance and needs. Themes developed from these interviews included participant satisfaction with the communication of program changes and concerns related to the effectiveness of virtual EI services. This information can be used in plans for transitioning to hybrid therapy as well as for future pandemics requiring a return to fully virtual services.

Investigating the impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on odour complaints made to London Borough Councils in Spring 2020 compared to Spring 2019

ABSTRACT This research explores the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions (working from home; not attending school; only socialising with people from your household), on the number of odour complaints made to London Borough Councils in Spring 2020. As odour has been linked to mental and physical health, this research is pertinent in the current blended working style many workplaces have adopted as a result of COVID-19. The area of Greater London was used to investigate the difference between odour complaints made to London Councils in Spring 2019 compared to those submitted during lockdown in Spring 2020. Using Freedom of Information requests, this project transformed raw data from 29 London Councils to reveal a statistically significant increase in the number of complaints made between the two years. A categorisation framework showed that complaints in the ‘Residential’ category rose pointedly. There were no strong trends between individual Borough data and no significant correlations between a range of urban, environmental, and demographic factors, suggesting that odour pollution impacts communities in a similar way across London. Utilising these findings, the project highlights some recommendations for Local Councils to improve working conditions at home and some avenues of further study for environmental researchers.

A Qualitative Exploration of Intimate Partner Violence Among HIV/TB Coinfected Persons With Problematic Alcohol Use Participating in an Incentive-Based Alcohol/Medication Adherence Intervention in Uganda During COVID-19.

In Uganda, four in ten women report experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in the past year. Salient drivers of IPV in sub-Saharan Africa include stress related to household finances, alcohol use, and partner infidelity. We conducted 42 interviews with participants (n = 32) in the Drinkers' Intervention to Prevent Tuberculosis (DIPT) study which included economic incentives, and their partners (n = 10) to understand how participating in DIPT during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions impacted relationship dynamics in intimate partnerships. Our findings highlight the need to develop policies to address root causes of IPV and to ensure continuity of IPV services in future pandemics. Policy and programming recommendations based on study results are presented.

Solitary in Nature: Young adults using urban nature as a safety net during COVID-19 lockdowns

Spending time in urban nature benefits young adults’ mental health, particularly those experiencing chronic stress, depression, or anxiety. COVID-19 can be seen as a population-wide stressor, which resulted in greater loneliness, anxiety, and depression among younger adults than among those older. This study explored how young adults (18–25) residing in the state of Victoria, Australia engaged with both public and private urban nature during and following stringent COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, in particular their visit locations, frequency, and participation in solitary, restorative activities. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in July and August 2021 via an online survey with 147 participants. During stringent COVID-19 restrictions, the type of nature that young adults visited most frequently (at least twice a week or more) was their own garden at home, with 23 % visiting this site every day and 15 % visiting at least twice a week. In terms of motivations for visiting nature while under strict restrictions, the most common ones were to ‘relax and unwind,’ followed by to ‘get away from home’. These motivations remained common following the relaxation of restrictions. More than half of participants engaged in solitary, restorative activities in nature during lockdown. Our study indicates that multiple forms of nature helped ease the strains of living under strict restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic for young adults in Victoria, particularly by providing a place to be alone. Government departments that manage urban greenspaces should consult young people to ensure their needs are understood when creating new or revitalising existing urban greenspaces.

A snapshot of injecting drug consumption from the analysis of used syringes within the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in Sydney, Australia.

The administration of illicit drugs by injection is associated with considerable harm, including an increased risk of overdose. The chemical analysis of used syringes can enhance knowledge on injecting drug consumption beyond traditional data sources (self-report surveys). This additional information may be useful during significant global events like the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to examine a snapshot of the drugs injected at the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) in Sydney, Australia, in 2019-2020. Used syringes were collected from MSIC across three periods throughout 2019 and 2020 (February 2019, March-April 2020 and June-September 2020). Drug residues were extracted from used syringes using methanol before detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The chemical analysis results were compared to self-report data obtained from MSIC clients. Heroin (46-53%), methamphetamine (24-34%) and pharmaceutical opioids (15-27%) were the most common drug residues detected. The chemically detected drugs had declining coherence with the drugs self-reported by MSIC clients across the time periods examined. There was no significant change in the drugs injected (heroin, methamphetamine and pharmaceutical opioids) across the three periods collected throughout varying COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Changes in the frequency of other drugs injected and discrepancies between chemical analysis and self-report were potentially related to regulatory changes, degradation or misinformed sales. Routine chemical analysis of used syringes has provided an alternative information source to promote awareness of current drug trends and aid harm reduction.

Effects of Lockdown Restrictions and Impact of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in People With Chronic Pain During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A 13-Wave Longitudinal Study

In early 2020, countries across the world imposed lockdown restrictions to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Lockdown conditions, including social and physical distancing measures and recommended self-isolation for clinically vulnerable groups, were proposed to disproportionately affect those living with chronic pain, who already report reduced access to social support and increased isolation. Yet, empirical evidence from longitudinal studies tracking the effects of prolonged and fluctuating lockdown conditions, and potential psychological factors mediating the effects of such restrictions on outcomes in chronic pain populations, is lacking. Accordingly, in the present 13-wave longitudinal study, we surveyed pain intensity, pain interference, and tiredness in people with chronic pain over the course of 11 months of the Covid-19 pandemic (April 2020–March 2021). Of N = 431 participants at baseline, average completion rate was ∼50% of time points, and all available data points were included in linear mixed models. We examined the impact of varying levels of lockdown restrictions on these outcomes and investigated whether psychological distress levels mediated effects. We found that a full national lockdown was related to greater pain intensity, and these effects were partially mediated by depressive symptoms. No effects of lockdown level were found for pain interference and tiredness, which were instead predicted by higher levels of depression, anxiety, pain catastrophising, and reduced exercise. Our findings are relevant for improving patient care in current and future crises. Offering remote management options for low mood could be particularly beneficial for this vulnerable population in the event of future implementation of lockdown restrictions. PerspectiveThis longitudinal study demonstrates the impact of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions on people with chronic pain. Findings suggest a complex interaction of psychosocial factors that impacted various aspects of pain experience in patients, which offer the potential to inform clinical strategies for remote medicine and future crises.

Exploring the China-Pakistan economic corridor project performance during Covid-19 pandemic

The outburst of the coronavirus into the global arena, first as a respiratory disease and later as a worldwide pandemic and health emergency, pushed the world economic order into complete turmoil and aftermath, posing severe challenges to the financial stability of developing countries like Pakistan. The temporary suspension of economic activities worldwide has resulted in significant disruptions to international supply chains, leading to substantial delays in implementing infrastructure projects associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The pandemic has further hindered CPEC progress. Building mega-projects, such as the CPEC, is crucial in determining the economic stability of a nation such as Pakistan. Nevertheless, it is essential to consider that the implementation of infrastructure projects can be subject to delays due to the COVID-19 lockdown and travel restrictions. However, it is worth noting that there needs to be more scholarly research available examining the ongoing progress and performance of CPEC projects from a particular perspective. This study aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown policy and travel restrictions on CPEC project performances by highlighting the role of socioeconomic and infrastructure development factors. The study will shed light on numerous causes of concerns in project development phases and provide policy recommendations to help CPEC officials reduce project losses and better survival in the event of extreme uncertainty. The data were collected through an online survey from all over Pakistan using self-administered questionnaires with 570 responses from CPEC employees, officials, and professors from management and economic departments. The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique analyzes the problem mentioned above. As per the results of this study, it is evident that the COVID-19 lockdown policy and travel restrictions have a detrimental effect on the construction of the CPEC project. Moreover, it has been observed that the socioeconomic and infrastructure development associated with the CPEC has a notable impact on the performance of the CPEC projects. This paper aims to provide valuable insights to policymakers by examining the management of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of the CPEC.

“Academic-Mothers” in Higher Education with Adult Children: Navigating Social Isolation, Shifting Households, and Professional Challenges During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the daily loss of lives, changing people’s mobility and relatedness, as well as bringing about disruption and transformation of health, education, economic, and cultural systems globally. The pandemic mitigation strategies, which encompassed domestic isolation, intensified household interactions and activities. Recent global studies indicate that the pandemic exposed long-standing inequities and vulnerabilities of systematically marginalized groups. It has also been argued that in academia the professional disenfranchisement and rights conflict between genders encompass differences in workload and professional support. In the South African higher education context, the pandemic created uncertainties for academic mothers who not only navigated these roles but who had diverse lived experiences of fluctuating COVID-19 infection rates and lockdown restrictions, changing household spatial arrangements, financial constraints, mental health challenges and the impact of civil unrest at the time. The disparate toll of the pandemic on academics, specifically those parenting children, performing gender-based household roles while simultaneously engaging in multiple academic duties, requires more attention in the South African context. This research article presents two autoethnographic accounts of the professional and social challenges experienced during various phases of the lockdown.

The impact of COVID-19 and associated lockdowns on traumatic spinal cord injury incidence: a population based study

Study designNatural experimentObjectivesTo determine whether COVID-19 restrictions were associated with changes in the incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) in Scotland.SettingThe Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit (QENSIU), the sole provider of treatment for TSCI in Scotland.MethodsTime series analysis of all admissions for TSCI between 1st January 2015 and 31st August 2022.ResultsOver the 8-year study period, 745 patients were admitted to the QENSIU with a TSCI. Interrupted time series analysis showed that level 3 and 4 COVID-19 lockdown restrictions (the most severe levels) were associated with lower incidence of TSCI (RR 0.63, CI% CI 0.47, 0.82, p < 0.001). The associations were stronger in people aged over 45 (additive interaction p = 0.001), males (additive interaction p = 0.01) and non-tetraplegia (additive interaction p = 0.002). The incidence of TSCI due to deliberate self-harm was higher (0.41 versus 0.23 per month) during restrictions.ConclusionsOverall, TSCI incidence reduced in Scotland when lockdowns were implemented, presumably due to lower engagement in risky activities. The increase in TSCI due to deliberate self-harm may reflect increased mental health problems and social isolation and should be anticipated and targeted in future pandemics. The change in incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic may have an economic impact and see a temporary reduction in the burden on health and social care. The results of this study will be useful for resource planning in future pandemics.

Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the vitamin D status of people in the West of Ireland.

Identify the impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on the vitamin D status of individuals in the west of Ireland. Cross-sectional study. Adults who had wintertime serum 25(OH)D analysis completed in Galway University Hospital. A total of 16,725 participants (2015-2020 (n = 13,449) and 2020-2021 (n = 3276)). Baseline demographics; sex, age, origin of the sample and the date of sample collection. Median serum vitamin D and serum vitamin D3 concentrations were higher in the 5-month period from October-February 2020-2021 (61nmol/L (± 36-85nmol/L) and 60nmol/L (± 34-85nmol/L)) respectively, than for the corresponding 5-month period (October-February) in 2015-2020 (53nmol/L (± 32-78nmol/L) and 51nmol/L (± 30-77nmol/L)) respectively. These changes coincided with a decline in the prevalence of deficiency. In the 5-month period October-February 2020-2021, 19.2% of the population were vitamin D deficient (< 30nmol/L) compared to 22.5% in the corresponding 5-month period in 2015-2020, and 38.1% were vitamin D deficient (< 50nmol/L) in the 5-month period October-February 2020-2021 compared to 46.6% in the corresponding 5-month period in 2015-2020. Males were more likely to be deficient at both thresholds (p < 0.001). For the total cohort, at the < 30nmol/L threshold, inpatients (25.5%) and nursing home residents (34.1%) had higher prevalence of deficiency. Vitamin D levels were higher in the 5-month period of October-February 2020-2021, and this precipitated a decline in deficiency at both thresholds, indicating that lockdown coincided with enhanced vitamin D status. We postulate that it may be attributable to changes in diet and/or supplementation, or increased sun exposure, but further confirmatory studies are required.

A review of the impact of social disruptions on food security and food choice.

At times of severe social disruption, be that war, conflict, pandemic, or economic downturn, both the availability and consumption of healthy dietary patterns can be adversely affected with any effects often outlasting the initial social disruption. For instance, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and lockdown restrictions followed, households were reported to consume unhealthy diets. In some cases, this seemed to be a response to the situation and a coping mechanism. In contrast, in other cases, it was a consequence of limited food availability or access, with some communities finding that fresh foods became difficult to source due to the disruption in global supply chains. The example presented by the impact of conflict in Ukraine, which has also disrupted global food supply chains, at a macrolevel, food systems and at a microlevel, individual and community shows that food choices may respond to different global events in similar ways. Therefore, in this review, a range of events/disruptions are considered, beyond pandemics and wars, including climate disasters (e.g., fire, famine, and floods) that have been shown to impact food supply and consequently, food security. The importance of this can be seen as inadequate and nutritionally poor diets have a concomitant effect on health, which extends beyond the initial period of societal stress and disruption of food supply chains. Hence, the impact of such disruptions on consumer behavior which includes food choice needs to be corroborated. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the impact of such disruptions on consumer behavior and food choices. Additionally, this review provides some practical strategies that can be used to ensure the availability of healthy diets.

CHANGES IN FOSSIL CO2 EMISSIONS IN MEXICO CITY DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN DEDUCED FROM ATMOSPHERIC RADIOCARBON CONCENTRATIONS

ABSTRACT We present atmospheric radiocarbon concentrations in CO2 integrated samples taken between January 2019 and December 2021 in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) and explain the variations in terms of changes in emission sources associated with the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions imposed from March 2020. Δ14C values for samples collected during 2019 range between –44.15‰ and –13.17‰, with lower values during months with higher fossil fuels consumption and air stagnation, whereas higher values were found for periods with high number of fires around MCMA or wet months with higher contribution of heterotrophic respiration. For samples collected during 2020, Δ14C values range between –17.7‰ and 2.25‰, with an increasing trend immediately after the initial lockdown and higher values obtained for samples collected during lockdown phases 2 and 3 and the period of extremely high epidemic risk. This agrees with the 38% and 52% decrease in gasoline and diesel sales. Once essential activities gradually opened from July 2020, Δ14C follow a decreasing trend as vehicle traffic started to increase again. Δ14C values for samples collected during 2021 range from –32.89‰ to –10.27‰, with the higher value obtained during a period of extremely high epidemic risk with a 30% reduction in gasoline and diesel consumption. Despite the complexity of emission sources in MCMA, from Δ14C variations it was possible to identify changes in fossil CO2 emissions resulting from the significant reduction in vehicle traffic due to the COVID-19 lockdown and the restrictions imposed to control transmission of the disease.

Financial impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on Small, Micro and Medium enterprises in the restaurant industry (Gauteng)

Purpose: The study presents a comparison of the financial impact of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on Gauteng-based SMMEs in the restaurant industries using a South-African bank’s point-of-sale (POS) de-identified data. Research: The positivist research philosophy was preferred. Due to, the participating bank's existing data, quantitative research method applied. This research study comprised both exploratory and descriptive objectives. It was longitudinal in nature because it investigated the financial impact of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on Gauteng-based SMMEs in the restaurant industry over time (April-May 2020 and April-May 2021). The longitudinal time horizon was from April 2020 to May 2021 (a year into the lockdown period). Results: The study found that the restaurant industry was adversely financially impacted, based on turnover sales transacted through POS devices during the two periods of April to May 2020 and April to May 2021. According to the study, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown periods Gauteng-based SMMEs relied heavily on the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), such as POS devices, for customer payments. Conclusions: Based on a monthly turnover comparison the restaurant industry had the second-highest turnover, following the supermarket industry with the highest turnover. When the alert level 5 lockdown was declared on March 23, 2020, some restaurants shut down temporarily while others adjusted their operational protocols to safeguard their employees and customers. Study originality: However, the restaurant industry turnovers increased in 2021 compared to 2020, indicating that there was some adaptation or rather innovation around mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic challenges. Practical implications: Restaurants took additional measures by persuading consumers to order ‘takeaways’ online through delivery App platforms. The restaurant industry COVID-19 digital strategies remain relevant in South Africa today even after the removal of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions because customers still make use of these digital services.

Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on urban air, Land surface temperature and air pollution in cold climate zones

The objective of this study was to analyze air pollution and thermal environment in Turkey's cold region before, during, and after COVID-19 in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The CO, NO2, O3, PM10 and SO2 data from the state air quality stations, as well as ground air temperature data from six weather stations, and land satellite images from the USGS website using ArcGIS 10.4.1 software were collected in January, March, April and August of 2019, 2020 an 2021. In order to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 measures and restrictions on cold region cities, air pollution indicators, land surface temperature and air temperature as well as statistical data were analyzed. The results indicated that the CO, NO2, PM10 and SO2 emissions decreased by 14.9%, 14.3%, 47.1% and 28.5%, but O3 increased by 16.9%, respectively, during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 as compared to these of the pre-COVID-19 levels in 2019. A positive correlation between air temperature and O3 in 2019 (r2 = 0.80), and in 2020 and 2021 (r2 = 0.64) was obtained. Air temperature in 2020 and 2021 decreased due to lockdowns and quarantine measures that led to lower O3 emissions as compared to 2019. Negative correlations were also found between air temperature and NO2 (r2 = 0.60) and SO2 (r2 = 0.5). There was no correlation between air temperature and PM10. During the COVID-19 lockdown and intense restrictions in April 2020, the average LST and air temperature values dropped by 14.7 °C and 1.6 °C respectively, compared to April 2019. These findings may be beneficial for future urban planning, particularly in cold regions.