Yifang Zhu in NBC News Los Angeles — UCLA: COVID-19 Deaths Linked to Poor Air Quality

Los Angeles County neighborhoods with the worst air quality saw a 60% increase in COVID-19 fatalities, compared with communities with the best air quality.  “We know that Traffic-Related Air Pollution is associated with many respiratory morbidities, including asthma, chronic pulmonary disease, lung cancer and respiratory tract infections, as well as hospitalizations, mortality and an increased risk of respiratory viral infection,” said Dr. Yifang Zhu, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health professor of environmental health sciences and senior associate dean for academic programs.