When it comes to COVID-19, we at The Optimist Daily are committed to bringing you solutions-oriented stories about the disease at a time when it can be all too easy to be overwhelmed by fear and panic-oriented media. We have a ray of good news for you today: it appears that warmer weather could be helpful in combating the novel virus. 

Researchers from Tsinghua University and Beihang University used data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention to track weather patterns in conjunction with COVID-19 spread in China. Their findings indicate that higher temperatures and relative humidity can reduce the transmission of coronavirus. This could be good news for northern hemisphere countries as they head into spring and summer.

This is good news, but this conclusion is only the result of one study. The researchers analyzed 4,711 confirmed cases, but there is still much to learn about how the disease spreads and what factors impact its severity. 

It is important to continue taking active steps to mitigate the rate of infection, as we discussed in our other story today, to reduce the impact on medical facilities and workers. This includes listening to advisory information from medical professionals and officials and practicing social distancing to “flatten the curve” of coronavirus’ spread.