ERS / ELF Advocacy update: December 2020

The newly formed MEP lung health group held an event ‘Air pollution and COVID-19 – Clearing the air and charting a post-pandemic course’ virtually on 2 December. The event focused on air pollution and health in the COVID-19 era and sustainable strategies for recovery from the pandemic. 

The meeting was open and closed by MEP Jutta Paulus (Greens, Germany), and speakers included:
Dr Sara De Matteis (University of Cagliari, Italy), Prof. Lidia Morawska (Queensland University of Technology, Australia), Martin Adams (European Environment Agency, Denmark) and Prof. Eeva Furman (Environmental Policy Centre of the Finnish Environment Institute, Finland). 

There was an interactive and lively virtual roundtable with input from MEP Jutta Paulus, Dr Maria Neira from the World Health Organization, Prof. Francesco Forastiere (Imperial College London, United Kingdom), Prof. Bert Brunekreef (Utrecht University, The Netherlands), Dr Mary Rice (Harvard University, United States) and Erika Colen (Belgian Asthma and Allergy Association, Belgium. 

Erika Colen made it clear that “as patients, we are the first affected by air pollution.” 

Watch the event recording