Abstract
During 2020, when COVID-19 vaccines were not available, there were remarkable differences in morbidity, mortality and excess mortality in comparable countries.
An example of such a difference are Denmark and the Netherlands:
Key figures COVID-19 during 2020 (source WHO):
Per 100.000 inhabitants. Denmark Netherlands
Confirmed cases 3.475 5.026 (45% higher)
Deaths 29.6 71,4 (240% higher)
Excess mortality - 4,3% + 7,2%
Dutch media wondered about the ‘Danish miracle’ but no convincing explanation was found. Medical experts pointed at the national character of the Danish population, which is more collectively minded than the supposedly more individualistic and rebellious Dutch. But since the majority of the Dutch population obediently followed the directives of the government, civil obedience or disobedience does not explain these differences.
On September 22, 2021, the WHO presented new ‘Global Air Quality Guidelines’ to minimize the health effects of flue gasses from fossil fuels, that contain toxic substances like carbon monoxide (CO); nitrogen dioxide (NO2); sulphur dioxide (SO2); fine dust (PM2.5 and PM 10).
During the presentation the WHO Director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed the link between air pollution and ‘severe’ COVID-19.
Over 97% of all COVID-19 infected people develop none or only mild symptoms, so there must be a reason for the less than 3% who get severely ill. And in the case of Denmark and the Netherlands that reason can be found in the significant difference in indoor air quality.
Most Dutch homes use natural gas for heating and cooking. Also the Dutch government has subsidized wood and pellet stoves for domestic use. And on top of that, the Dutch have a habit of sealing their homes with weather stripping on doors and windows, to keep out the cold and draughts. This results in warm and cozy homes with a bad indoor air quality: on average 15% of the Dutch homes have a ‘pathogenic’ atmosphere, due to flue gasses and insufficient ventilation, which will rise to 20-25% during the heating season.
In Denmark, on the other hand, most homes are connected to city heating or block heating, while cooking is usually done electrically. This means that Danish homes have a much cleaner and healthier indoor atmosphere than Dutch homes.
In such a situation it is understandable why a ‘lock down’ in unpolluted homes also protects the Danish population from other infections and from accidents in the streets, at school and at work, thus resulting in a negative excess mortality. While the ‘pathogenic’ Dutch homes cause a quick and vehement spread of the COVID -19 virus, resulting in a very high number of infections and a high mortality and excess mortality.