Assessment of interrelationship between meteorology, air quality and COVID 19 cases in Gujarat state

In the present study, pollutants levels from March 1, 2020, to August 30, 2020, were compared with similar periods of 2019 to assess the impact of lockdown due to COVID 19 on the quality of air in 3 different cities of Gujarat, India named Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Valsad. Data was collected from AccuWeather and Central Pollution Control Board website for study period. Data was analyzed by comparing air quality taking 2019 as reference and correlation matrix were developed for study sites. Lockdown resulted from COVID-19 has shown decline trends in pollutant concentration resulting in improved air quality in the study area. In the first city Ahmedabad, Gujarat an air pollutant parameter such as CO, PM_2.5, PM_10, NO₂, and SO₂ were reduced by 54%, 181%, 70%, 33%, and 103% respectively. Almost similar trends were observed in the rest of the two cities also i.e., Gandhinagar and Valsad. NO₂ level got reduced by a factor of 100% which can be associated with ban on vehicular movement. Correlation between the air pollutant and metrological variables with COVID-19 variables were also studied be developing correlation matrix. In Gandhinagar, a strong correlation was observed between carbon monoxide, and PM₁₀ with COVID-19, a moderate correlation between NO₂, and SO₂ with the COVID-19 variables, a week correlation was found between temperature and COVID-19, and no correlation is found between wind speed and COVID-19 variables.