A general covering lemma for the real line (Q1189099)

Let \(\mu\) be a positive, countably additive measure defined on some \(\sigma\)-algebra containing the Borel sets of \(\mathbb{R}\). By an interval is meant a nondegenerate interval. Then the following covering lemma is proved. Lemma: Let \(\mu\) be a measure, and let \(\Lambda\) be a collection of intervals \(I\) with \(\mu(I)\leq M\) for some positive constant \(M\) and all \(I\in\Lambda\). Then, for any \(\varepsilon>0\), these exists a countable disjoint subcollection \(\Gamma\) of \(\Lambda\) such that \((2+\varepsilon)\mu(\cup\Gamma)\geq\mu(\cup\Lambda)\). If \(\mu(\cup\Lambda)<\infty\), then \(\Gamma\) can be chosen to be finite. In the case \(\mu(\cup\Lambda)<\infty\) the result appears implicitly in the literature. For that one can refer to \textit{M. de Guzman} [Colloq. Math. 34, 69-72 (1975; Zbl 0326.28003)] and \textit{D. Austin} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 16, 220-221 (1965; Zbl 0145.285)]. Some applications of the covering lemma are given in this note.