Also: How to be ready for overlapping disasters
Welcome to the Climate Fwd: newsletter. New this month, for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, The New York Times is bringing you The Greenhouse, a digital event series on climate change. Join us on our first live video call this Friday at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, where Times climate journalists Hannah Fairfield, Somini Sengupta, Nadja Popovich and John Schwartz will discuss climate in the age of the coronavirus. |
 | | Chicago in January 2019.Daniel Slim/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images |
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The data in both reports is preliminary. But environmental experts said that together, the statistics pointed to a troubling story of vulnerability in communities of color. |
That microscopic pollution, which passes through the lungs and enters the bloodstream, has been linked to a variety of serious health problems, including cardiovascular and pulmonary disease. Those chronic health conditions, scientists say, increase vulnerability to the coronavirus. |
“Communities of color, they’ve always been the sacrifice zones,” Mustafa Ali, vice president of environmental justice, climate and community revitalization for the National Wildlife Federation, said in a video posted online Tuesday. “They’ve been the places where we’ve pushed things that nobody else wants.” |
Mr. Ali, who led the environmental justice program at the E.P.A. under President Barack Obama, connected the two pieces of independent research, saying long-term exposure to industrial pollution “makes us more susceptible to the pandemic.” |
There is much more to be learned. Many cities and states still are not reporting coronavirus data by race, and experts note that other factors, like income, also are in play. The pollution study, from the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, looks at aggregated data from counties, not individual cases, so it offers little insight into the role pollution plays in susceptibility to the coronavirus. |
But when I spoke to Dr. John R. Balmes, a pulmonologist and spokesman for the American Lung Association, he said there was one immediate lesson: the urgency of ensuring that hospitals in the neighborhoods most at risk are prepared. |
As the coronavirus spreads, he said, “We need to make sure that hospitals taking care of folks who are more vulnerable and with even greater air pollution exposure have the resources they need.” |
 | | Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Shutterstock |
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Here’s something we might not want to think about right now, but probably should: The hurricane and wildfire seasons are just around the corner. That means some people wisely following advice to stay at home might have to leave those homes, fast. |
If you live in a wildfire, hurricane or flood zone, it’s always good to be ready for an evacuation order. But now, amid the coronavirus pandemic, it’s especially important — to protect yourself and others by minimizing the pressure on an already overburdened emergency response system. |
One of the most basic precautions is to make sure you can move when you need to. If your gas gauge is in the red, you won’t be going far. Try to make sure your vehicle has at least half a tank of fuel at all times. And, familiarize yourself with the evacuation routes around your community. They’re typically available on state emergency services websites, like this one for Florida. |
Next, make sure you can quickly grab the things you’ll need, like important documents and medication. Crucial papers include identification, insurance information and the deed to your home. If you take medication, maintain your supply. |
“Studies have shown that when you have a wildfire you definitely get an increase in asthma, pneumonia, COPD exacerbations, acute bronchitis,” said Dr. Mary Prunicki, the director of air pollution and health research at Stanford University’s center for allergy and asthma research. That makes it especially important to keep enough medication on hand if you have a condition like asthma. |
It’s also a good idea to have basic emergency supplies in your car if you live in a danger zone. They should include water, nonperishable food and a flashlight. The American Red Cross has more detailed guidelines on its website. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends stocking your kit with enough food and water for three days. |
If you have pets, you’ll need food and water for them, too. |
There are also home maintenance precautions you can take, depending on the risks in your area. If you live in a wildfire zone, clear the area within 30 feet of your house of brush and debris that could ignite and accelerate a fire. If you’re in a hurricane zone, now is a good time to unclog your rain gutters. |
No matter where you live, for homes that have gas, you should know where the valves are and how to shut them off. |
The pandemic, Dr. Redlener said, is “not going to stop other disasters from happening.” |
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