Study: High Temperatures, Humidity DO Deter the Spread of Coronavirus
Richard Moorhead
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A case study by a team of Chinese academics suggests that warm weather and humidity do deter the spread of the coronavirus, a development that could prove to be a welcome relief for nations afflicted with the disease as they approach the warmer spring and summer months.
The study, titled “High Temperature and High Humidity Reduce the Transmission of COVID-19,” involved analysis of coronavirus diagnoses in various cities across China. Researchers examined the intensity of outbreaks in climates ranging in heat and humidity levels.
Their summary of results describes the effects of climate on transmission of the disease in clear terms.
“We find, under a linear regression framework for 100 Chinese cities, high temperature and high relative humidity significantly reduce the transmission of COVID-19.”
The scholars even go on as to state that coming summer climates in the northern hemisphere will deter spread of the disease, although it’s hard to qualify to exact extent.
A weakness to warm climate would place the coronavirus in a similar category to other viral diseases, such as influenza. It’s long been known that warm and hot climates are not favorable for the spread of disease.
“It indicates that the arrival of summer and rainy season in the northern hemisphere can effectively reduce the transmission of the COVID-19.”
The study was published on March 14th. Jingyuan Wang, Ke Tang, Kai Feng and Weifeng Lv are credited as its authors. All but Tang(Tsinghua University) are associated with Beihang University.
This development could not only prove a welcome relief to American states and cities awaiting spring and summer in the midst of a nationwide crisis, but a godsend to states such as Texas, Arizona, and California that have hot climates. It’s possible these states could altogether avoid the very worst of the virus.
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