A new study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases has shown that warmer temperatures moderately slow the transmission of coronavirus.
The study revealed that while the rate of COVID-19 decrease with warmer temperatures up to 52 degrees F (11 degree Celsius), further warmer temperatures do not decrease disease transmission significantly.
The research also found that higher Ultra Violet (UV) index also assists in slowing the rate of new cases, but the overall impact remains modest.
However, precipitation patterns did not appear to have any effect on virus transmission.
The research team analysed daily reported cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2)/COVID-19 infection across the United States from January 22, 2020 through April 3, 2020, as tracked by John Hopkins University’s COVID-19 Dashboard and estimated associations between temperature, precipitation, UV Index, as tracked from the National Centers for Environmental Information and rate of increase.
Indeed, it is well known that rates of transmission of some respiratory viruses, including influenza, tend to fall during the summer months. As COVID-19 spread globally, questions have arisen on whether warming temperatures, humidity and UV index might slow or even halt the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
These effects on virus transmission will be important to understand as warmer months ease in and states across the country consider and implement reopening plans.
