PM_2.5 as a major predictor of COVID-19 basic reproduction number in the USA.

ABSTRACT: Many studies have proposed a relationship between COVID-19 transmissibility and ambient pollution levels. However, a major limitation in establishing such associations is to adequately account for complex disease dynamics, influenced by e.g. significant differences in control measures and testing policies. Another difficulty is appropriately controlling the effects of other potentially important factors, due to both their mutual correlations and a limited dataset. To overcome these difficulties, we will here use the basic reproduction number (R₀) that we estimate for USA states using non-linear dynamics methods. To account for a large number of predictors (many of which are mutually strongly correlated), combined with a limited dataset, we employ machine-learning methods. Specif

SUBMITTER: Milicevic O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8223012 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature