In the face of air pollution these cilia cannot move well.

Will air pollution increase your chances of getting a viral infection?

The answer is Yes.

When a virus tries to enter your body through through your nose or mouth,

Under normal circumstances,

They are pushed back outwards by hair like structures called cilia which line your respiratory tract.

In the face of air pollution these cilia cannot move well.

The reason is the mucus that is secreted to keep out the pollution particles

The mucus that you feel as a runny nose or that irritation in your throat

Swamps the cilia

Weighs them down

And does not allow them to move and do their work of lashing out and pushing the virus back outside your body.

Is it important then to spend as much time as possible in a pollution free or at least minimally polluted place.

Yes it is.

If you live in highly polluted place... Consider moving.

Viruses are not going away anytime soon.

PC: Pixabay