High altitude Relieves transmission risks of COVID-19 through meteorological and environmental factors: Evidence from China

Abstract

Existing studies reported higher altitudes reduce the COVID-19 infection rate in the United States, Colombia, and Peru. However, the underlying reasons for this phenomenon remain unclear. In this study, regression analysis and mediating effect model were used in a combination to explore the altitudes relation with the pattern of transmission under their correlation factors. The preliminary linear regression analysis indicated a negative correlation between altitudes and COVID-19 infection in China. In contrast to environmental factors from low-altitude regions (<1500 m), high-altitude regions (>1500 m) exhibited lower PM2.5, average temperature (AT), and mobility, accompanied by high SO₂ and absolute humidity (AH). Non-linear regression analysis further revealed that COVID-19 confirmed cases had a positive correlation with mobility, AH, and AT, whereas negatively correlated with SO₂, CO, and DTR. Subsequent mediating effect model with altitude-correlated factors, such as mobility, AT, AH, DTR and SO₂, suffice to discriminate the COVID-19 infection rate between low- and high-altitude regions. The mentioned evidence advance our understanding of the altitude-mediated COVID-19 transmission mechanism.

Keywords: Altitude; COVID-19; Environmental factors; Mediating effect model; Transmission mechanism.