Multiple wildfires have definitely put smoke into the air of the Uintah Basin and its effects could be far reaching. Doctor Cheryl Pirozzi, a pulmonologist at the University of Utah, has warned that the smoke from the fires could increase risk of lung infections, including COVID-19. “We also have research already showing that exposure to particulate pollution — which is a major component of wildfire smoke — increases susceptibility to COVID-19 infection and more severe disease,” Pirozzi shared with Deseret News. “Now that we have this overlapping of the COVID-19 pandemic and the occurrence of wildfires and bad air pollution related with that, it’s important to think about the interaction between both of these risks.” Everybody should be diligent when it comes to particulate pollution, even more so for those that are at risk with underlying conditions or comorbidities.
