Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of human exposure to high levels of ultrafine particulate matter from air pollution on the expression of Angiotensin I converting enzyme 2.

Public Health England (PHE) is aware of evidence linking exposure to particulates in the air to altered expression of Angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and of emerging evidence that this is a potential mechanism by which air pollution exposure could theoretically increase the spread or severity of COVID-19.

PHE is continuously reviewing and considering the evidence on the health impacts of air pollution exposure, as well as potential associations between air pollution and the health impacts of COVID-19.