Lockdown: Nearly two million Britons with lung conditions report improvement as air pollution drops

The fall in road traffic and industry activity has seen levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide more than halve in some parts of the UK, writes Samuel Lovett

More than half of those surveyed noticed a decrease in air pollution during the lockdown as industry closed down and traffic levels plummeted (AFP via Getty Images)

Nearly two million with lung conditions in Britain have noted an improvement in their symptoms as a result of decreasing air pollution during the coronavirus lockdown, new research suggests.

A total of 12 million people suffer from respiratory issues such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the UK.

According to a British Lung Foundation survey of 14,000 individuals living with these conditions, one in six (which equates to 1.94 million) reported their symptoms had eased since widespread travel restrictions were enforced across the country in late March.