New research suggests that over 800 lives have been saved across Europe due to better air quality in the first Covid lockdowns.
Closing workplaces and schools reduced levels of air pollution due to the decrease in movement and traffic.
There were fewer cars and lorries on the road which had the biggest impact on the reduction of deaths.
This meant that there was less nitrogen dioxide polluting the air.
The senior author of the study said that “this ‘natural experiment’ has given us a glimpse of how air quality can be improved by drastic public health measures that would be difficult to implement in normal times.”
In 2020, Dorset Heathlands Interim Air Quality Strategy released a strategy agreed with BCP for measures to be taken between 2020-2025 to address the effects of airborne nitrogen and air quality in Dorset.
Dorset council and Natural England are to address the sources of the nitrogen-based pollution in the Dorset area.
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