Use of Weather Variables in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Studies

The persistence and intensity of the current severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, and the advanced planning required to balance competing concerns of saving lives and avoiding economic collapse, may depend in part on whether the virus is sensitive to seasonal change...

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Main Author: Steven Babin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2020-11-01
Series:International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220307487
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author Steven Babin
author_facet Steven Babin
author_sort Steven Babin
collection DOAJ
description The persistence and intensity of the current severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, and the advanced planning required to balance competing concerns of saving lives and avoiding economic collapse, may depend in part on whether the virus is sensitive to seasonal changes in environmental variables, such as temperature and humidity. Although multiple studies have sought to address possible effects of these variables on SARS–CoV-2 transmission, results of these studies have been varied. It is possible that at least some of the differing results are due to insufficient understanding of atmospheric science, including certain physical and chemical principles underlying selected meteorological variables, and how global seasons differ between tropical and temperate zones. The objective of this brief perspective is to provide information that may help explain some of the differing results of studies regarding the influence of environmental variables on transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2. This information may promote better variable selection and results interpretation in future studies of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other infectious diseases.
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spelling doaj.art-deedf599f97642429c18a925c10836692022-12-21T23:39:32ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Infectious Diseases1201-97122020-11-01100333336Use of Weather Variables in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission StudiesSteven Babin0Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, Maryland, 20723, USAThe persistence and intensity of the current severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, and the advanced planning required to balance competing concerns of saving lives and avoiding economic collapse, may depend in part on whether the virus is sensitive to seasonal changes in environmental variables, such as temperature and humidity. Although multiple studies have sought to address possible effects of these variables on SARS–CoV-2 transmission, results of these studies have been varied. It is possible that at least some of the differing results are due to insufficient understanding of atmospheric science, including certain physical and chemical principles underlying selected meteorological variables, and how global seasons differ between tropical and temperate zones. The objective of this brief perspective is to provide information that may help explain some of the differing results of studies regarding the influence of environmental variables on transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2. This information may promote better variable selection and results interpretation in future studies of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other infectious diseases.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220307487SARS–CoV-2COVID-19seasonalitytemperaturedewpointtransmissibility
spellingShingle Steven Babin
Use of Weather Variables in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Studies
International Journal of Infectious Diseases
SARS–CoV-2
COVID-19
seasonality
temperature
dewpoint
transmissibility
title Use of Weather Variables in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Studies
title_full Use of Weather Variables in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Studies
title_fullStr Use of Weather Variables in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Studies
title_full_unstemmed Use of Weather Variables in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Studies
title_short Use of Weather Variables in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Studies
title_sort use of weather variables in sars cov 2 transmission studies
topic SARS–CoV-2
COVID-19
seasonality
temperature
dewpoint
transmissibility
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220307487
work_keys_str_mv AT stevenbabin useofweathervariablesinsarscov2transmissionstudies