Coronavirus: ESA shows the recovery of pollution in China

On March 5, NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) satellites showed a drastic reduction in air pollution in China, the precursor country of the Coronavirus pandemic. Carbon dioxide levels had fallen due to the total blockade of the social and economic world, not only limited to the epicenter of the epidemic but extended to various centers in the country. It was perhaps the only positive consequence of this pandemic, but unfortunately it did not last long.

Below, the carbon dioxide pollution in early March:

The new images of the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, updated with data for March 19, show how above the skies of the area between Beijing and Shanghai (but not Wuhan, the center of the epidemic), have resumed being loaded with dioxide of carbon – the first sign of the tight recovery of human activities.

Air pollution by fine particles (PM10, PM2.5) is one of the causes of the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, and signs of recovery of carbon dioxide emissions are not a positive sign in an attempt to block the spread of the virus, even if this is not directly related to Carbon dioxide but to PM10 and PM 2,5 particles.

Below, the satellite image with carbon dioxide pollution as of March 16, 2020:

Below, the ESA video shows the recovery of the pollution level in the skies of China, showing the extended time interval between the beginning of December and March 16, 2020: