The file comprises COVID-19 case counts, population, demographic and air pollution data by health region. The data were employed in a national ecological study of the association between air pollution and incidence of COVID-19. Data were obtained from the COVID-19 Canada Open Data portal, the Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE), Statistics Canada and Google COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports.
The study found that there was a positive association between COVID-19 incidence and long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The association was larger in magnitude and stronger in health regions with higher rates of COVID-19, and in those health regions where estimated exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is expected to be more accurate.
The results require further examination using studies based on individual-level rather than area-level data. Supporting documentation: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110052