Bucket List: Five ways to protect yourself when smog hits

SINGAPORE – Smog season is here and certain groups of people should be extra careful about polluted air.

On Saturday, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) entered the “unhealthy” range, between 101 and 200, for the first time since 2019.

Doctors say children, pregnant women and the elderly with chronic heart and lung diseases are more susceptible to the effects of smog.

Dr Lim Hui Fang, a respiratory specialist at the Respiratory Clinic, said: “Children have smaller airways and faster breathing rates, which means they inhale more haze particles relative to their body size. For the elderly, Their bodies are less able to compensate or remove the pollutants they breathe in. “This puts them at a higher risk of disease. “

Dr Lim noted that those who have recently recovered from Covid-19 and are suffering from conditions such as bronchitis or sinusitis are also at higher risk of being adversely affected by inhaling haze particles.

Additionally, Dr. Leong Choon Kit, a family physician at Mission Medical Clinic, stressed that people with allergies and respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease should be extra careful.

“People affected by haze are more likely to suffer from symptoms such as conjunctivitis, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue and weakness,” Dr Leong said.

He advised those who felt unwell during the haze to see a doctor.

Follow these tips to protect yourself from smog.

1. Follow PSI readings

Dr. Leong says it’s important to check your PSI every day and understand what it means.

PSI is calculated based on a 24-hour average of concentration levels of pollutants such as PM2.5. PM2.5 is the main pollutant during haze weather.

24-hour PSI Based on readings over the past 24 hours, the one-hour PM2.5 concentration reading is an indicative indicator of current air quality. Singapore’s health advice is based on 24-hour PSI.