Exposure to sunlight might decrease the mortality rate caused due to Covid-19

An increase in the amount of exposure to the sun’s rays, especially UVA, might be a simple solution to control the rate of death cases arising due to Covid-19, researchers opined. They are of the view that the places that receive the maximum amount of sunlight are associated with fewer death rates from this fatal infection.

95% of the sun’s UV light is made up of ultraviolet UVA rays and has the capacity to penetrate into the skin deeply.

People residing in areas that receive the maximum amount of UVA rays are less prone to deaths caused due to this virus in comparison to the people that live in areas where the UVA rays reach their minimum level, according to a study revealed in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Such an analysis was also carried out in England and Italy and it bore the same results.

The researchers from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland exclaimed that there is no link between the reduced death risk and the higher levels of vitamin D.

The researchers found out in certain lab studies that the nitric oxide that the skin releases due to exposure to sunlight can be a reason as this can cause a reduction in the ability of SARS CoV2, the virus responsible for the reproduction of Covid-19.

In the earlier studies, there had been a link between the increased sunlight exposure and improved cardiovascular health with lower blood pressure and fewer heart attacks. Heart disease is deemed to be a major factor in causing deaths from Covid-19.

The team compared all the deaths recorded due to this fatal virus in the US from January to April 2020 with UV levels reaching up to 2,474 for a specific time period.

The observational nature of the study made it impossible to establish the cause and effect. Moreover, the researchers concluded that it could lead to interventions that could be tested as potential treatments.