Houston new lockdown order12/30/2023 Initially, the virtually nationwide lockdown appeared to have dramatically positive results. And in Pittsburgh and across a swath of the eastern U.S., much of the air pollution still comes from burning coal.įreeway traffic was light and the air was relatively clear in Los Angeles on April 6. In industrial cities like Houston, refineries and petrochemical plants spew considerable air pollution. In cities such as Los Angeles, stubbornly poor air quality during the coronavirus lockdown underscored how vast fleets of trucks are a dominant source of pollution. Our analysis revealed that, in the vast majority of places, ozone pollution decreased by 15% or less, a clear indication that improving air quality will take much more than cleaning up tailpipes of passenger cars. We compared the median ozone levels detected this spring with levels found during the comparable period over the past five years. NPR analyzed more than half a million air pollution measurements reported to the EPA from more than 900 air monitoring sites around the country. Ground-level ozone, or smog, occurs when the chemicals emitted by cars, trucks, factories and other sources react with sunlight and heat. In some cities, the amount of one pollutant, ozone, has barely decreased compared with levels over the past five years, despite traffic reductions of more than 40%. But the pollution declines aren't nearly as large as early indications suggested, according to an NPR analysis of six years of Environmental Protection Agency data. The vast majority of people recover.Īssociated Press contributed to this report.With traffic dramatically down in recent months, the United States is in the middle of an accidental experiment showing what happens to air pollution when millions of people stop driving. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the highly contagious virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal. "And that's wrong, and it's dangerous."įor most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. "And when they start hearing that kind of ambiguous message coming out of Washington, there are more and more people that won't wear masks, that won't social distance, that won't do what it takes to keep a community safe," the mayor told CNN. In Fort Worth, a bar may have its license suspended after hosting a "Tea Party Protest" Saturday, according to the Dallas Morning News.Īdler said the lack of unified public health messaging is endangering Texans, and expressed outrage over President Donald Trump's statements this week that the virus could "just disappear." Despite the health warnings, people flocked to cookouts and lakes to celebrate Independence Day, with some not wearing masks or appearing to keep a safe distance from others. RELATED: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo tests negative for COVID-19 "We don't have room for incrementalism, we're seeing these kinds of numbers, nor should we wait for all the hospital beds to fill and all these people to die, before we take drastic action," Hidalgo, a Democrat, told ABC's "This Week." Judge Lina Hidalgo extending mandatory mask order until Aug. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the top county official in the Houston area, said she's grateful for the mask mandate but that a stay-at-home order is needed. The mask order - which carries a $250 fine - came as part of the most dramatic about-face Abbott, a Republican, has made as he retreats from what stood out as one of America's swiftest reopenings. The Fourth of July weekend has also seen some defiance of Abbott's orders closing bars and requiring people to wear face coverings in public in much of the state. Texas reported its highest daily increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases Saturday, and hospitalizations from the disease caused by the coronavirus have continued to climb.
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