Nearly one in four deaths across the globe are due to environmental factors. Every year, an estimated 12.6 million people die as a result of living or working in an unhealthy environment. Environmental risk factors, such as air, water and soil pollution, chemical exposures, ultraviolet radiation, and climate change contribute to more than 100 diseases and injuries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting human behavior. It also encompasses the assessment and control of environmental factors that can potentially affect health and is targeted towards preventing diseases and creating health-supportive environments.
The COVID-19 is an infectious disease that has affected 216 countries all over the world. On the 30th January 2020, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Global Public Health Emergency. On the 11th March 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 disease a global pandemic.
The outbreak of COVID-19 disease caused serious devastation, loss of life and economic hardship in the lives of people all over the world. It also tested the health systems in many countries and brought impacts on the livelihoods of many people and destroyed many world economies.
We must emphasize raising and promoting global awareness of todayβs most pressing environmental health concerns, which involves air, water, toxic and hazardous substances, sanitation, food safety, occupational health, solid waste management, and climate change.
An environment should not bring harm to our health. Letβs keep in mind that we can make a difference by taking care of the environment and climate to mitigate the COVID-19 virus and prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases.
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