23 June, 2020
Scientific publications
Inverse correlation between average monthly high temperatures and COVID-19-related death rates in different geographical areas
This study investigated the link between environmental factors and COVID-19 death rates across 25 areas in Europe and the US during March and April 2020. While no significant correlation between temperature and deaths was found in March, a statistically significant inverse correlation emerged in April. Areas with higher average monthly high temperatures showed lower death rates. This finding was supported using latitude as a proxy for temperature. The data suggests that social distancing measures, implemented by April, were more successful in reducing COVID-19-related deaths in warmer climates.
Benedetti et al., Journal of Translational Medicine | 2020