Air Quality Monitoring Data for Analysis of the Pace and Intensity of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Spread in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans

The correlation between ambient air quality and heightened transmission rates/case severity of COVID-19 has been recognized in previous studies. The initial results have shown that an increase of only 1 μg/m3 in PM2.5 is associated with an 11 percent increase in the COVID-19 death rate. Nevertheless, there is very limited data available on air quality and its correlation with COVID-19. The lack of necessary data affects policy preparation and the development of national strategies that would focus on reducing air pollution with a view to combatting the ongoing pandemic and other health issues. Air pollution is a major public health threat3 and one of the main environmental problems in developing countries. Capturing the combined impact of both threats is a challenge that the entire international community faces.