Review of the Observed Effects of Environmental Factors on the Seasonality and Transmission of COVID-19

Abstract

The research paper aimed to investigate the effects of environmental (atmospheric quality, surfaces, etc.) and meteorological (temperature, humidity, etc.) factors on COVID-19 transmission rates and seasonal trends. The research gathered studies obtained from google scholar and medical journal keyword searching, followed by "snowballing" sources. SARS-CoV-2 was shown to survive on environmental fomites for varying durations depending on surface material (up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel), implying surface to person transmission. Atmospheric PM, wind speed and precipitation were shown to be weak variables in the transmission and case incidence of COVID-19 and sometimes presented conflicting results. UV-radiation had a potent deactivation effect on the virus, achieving near-complete virus inactivation within minutes, suggesting lower transmission risk in outdoor areas. Temperature and humidity were both consistently proven to have an inverse relationship with virus transmission and case incidence, with scientifically-backed theories. The significant role of the environment in the seasonal trends and transmission rates of COVID-19 was proven, albeit not for all investigated factors. Therefore, the alternative hypothesis (Ha) that the environment has a significant impact on the transmission and seasonality of COVID-19 was accepted, and the null hypothesis (H0) was rejected.