The Institute for Biohealth Innovation

Could avoiding rush hour traffic be healthier? Mason research drives new insight

The COVID-19 pandemic shifted thousands of jobs online, allowing employees to telework and avoid congested roadways. That’s good for slowing the spread of the virus, but new research from George Mason University also shows such habits could limit people’s exposure to harmful traffic pollution.

Graduate student Nada Abidah downloads data from an air pollution monitor with Dr. Jenna Krall, assistant professor of global and community health. Krall is leading the data collection portion of a multidisciplinary study between the College of Health and Human Sciences, the Volgenau School of Engineering and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences looking at the effect of traffic pollution exposure on women's health. Photo by Lathan Goumas/Strategic Communications