On Wednesday, smoke from roughly 150 wildfires blazing outside of Quebec, Canada, covered a large portion of the northeastern United States.
The Environmental Protection Agency claims that the smoke has adversely affected the quality of the air as far south as northern Florida. Government authorities are advising citizens to stay indoors and minimize outside exposure as much as possible, as the skies are growing gloomier in the northeastern parts of the country. Air Quality Health Advisories have been issued for the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, among others.
If you're in an impacted region, here's what you need to know to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
What Can I Do If the Air Quality Is Poor?
Simple: Spend as much time indoors as you can.
Barbara Mann, MD, a pulmonologist at the Mount Sinai-National Jewish Health Respiratory Institute and assistant professor of medicine at the Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, believes there's no reason to panic. It's acceptable to go outside for work, shopping, or any other reason, but try to spend as little time outside as possible.
Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, warned in a news conference on Tuesday night that anyone with previous respiratory issues, such as heart or breathing difficulties, children, and elderly folks may be more susceptible and should stay indoors at this time.
There are additional preventive measures that can be implemented indoors to safeguard myself. The optimal safeguarding strategy entails the installation of a residential filtration system. However, alternate remedies exist. According to Robert Glatter, M.D., an emergency medicine physician and assistant professor of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, Northwell Health in New York, and MH advisor, the placement of damp towels underneath doors and near malfunctioning windows could be efficacious in mitigating indoor smoke dispersion.
Are Face Masks Effective against Wildfire Smoke?
According to Mann, only respirator masks like the N95 or K95 will be useful in these circumstances.
The tiniest particles are those found in smoke. They are regarded as being less than 2.5 microns, or about a third of a human hair, according to Mann. "These particles lodge themselves very deeply inside your lungs."
Only masks of the respirator variety are suitable for protecting against particles of this size. Surgical masks, particularly the more comfortable varieties that have entered our culture as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, only shield us from bigger particles.
What Are the Possible Health Effects of Wildfire Smoke?
According to Mann, "wildfire pollution is different from other types of pollution in that it really can be anything." There isn't exactly a quick method to know what is left in the air because it depends on the kind of things burning and how hot they are.
According to Glatter, the smoke may contain a variety of pollutants, such as heavy metals and carcinogens. Prolonged contact with these poisons can lead to inflammation and oxidative damage. Asthma attacks and heart attacks may result from this, which may cause persistent coughing and increased mucus production. Our immune system may become less robust as a result, "decreasing [our] defenses against usual infections that you might be exposed to," according to Mann.
According to Glatter, prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke "can also cause chronic lung disease and the onset of coronary artery disease."
Although the situation is not ideal, it is wise to monitor it by checking the local air quality index and taking the appropriate precautions.