COVID-19 Pandemic, Air Quality, and PM2.5 Reduction-Induced Health Benefits: A Comparative Study for Three Significant Periods in Beijing

Previous studies have estimated the influence of control measures on air quality in ecological environment during COVID-19 pandemic. However, few attached importance to comparative study several different periods and evaluated health benefits PM 2.5 decrease caused by COVID-19. Therefore, we aimed estimate measures' impact pollutants 16 urban areas Beijing conducted a across three establishing least squares dummy variable model difference-in-differences model. We discovered that restriction did an apparent most pollutants, but there were discrepancies periods. The Air Quality Index (AQI) decreased 7.8%, SO 2 , NO 10 CO concentrations lowered 37.32, 46.76, 53.22, 34.07, 19.97%, respectively, first period, while O 3 increased 36.27%. In addition, pollutant environment, including reduced significantly, which 7.26% second period. Furthermore, AQI slightly compared same period 2019, other dropped, with being third Lastly, employed effects environmental value assessment methods evaluate additional public reduction owing This research not only provides natural experimental basis for governance actions pollution also points out significant direction future strategies.