The air quality in Chennai has been ranging from unhealthy to hazardous over the last week. Many of city's residents have been facing symptoms like runny nose and eyes, skin allergies and breathing difficulties. After speaking with doctors, Express has compiled 10 tips to keep oneself safe when the air is polluted.
1. Check daily air pollution forecasts in your area: The colour-coded forecasts can let you know when the air is unhealthy in your community. Sources include local radio and TV weather reports, newspapers, online at the official website of the Central Pollution Control Board (www.cpcb.nic.in) or its mobile app 'Sameer (National Air Quality Index)' or private websites or apps that let you monitor air pollution levels.
2. Avoid staying outdoors for long: Do not linger around in areas near highways or roads with heavy traffic. Even when air quality forecasts are green, the vehicles on busy highways can create high pollution levels in the areas nearby.
3. Do not exercise outdoors: When the air is bad, walk indoors in a shopping mall or gym or use an exercise machine. Limit the amount of time your child spends playing outdoors if the air quality is unhealthy.
4. Get the right mask: If you want to venture out, particularly if you are sensitive to air pollution, doctors suggest that is important to wear the right mask. Doctors that Express spoke to, said that the commonly available surgical masks do very little help to prevent inhalation of polluted air particles. Instead, they recommend using the N-92, N-95 or N-99 masks that can be bought at pharmacies or hospitals.
5. Drink lots of water: Staying hydrated will help clear out toxins from the body regularly, suggest doctors. Drinking lots of fruit juices will also help.
6. Cover up your body: It is common to develop skin allergies or itchy skin when the body is exposed to highly polluted air. Owing to warm weather in Chennai, doctors recommend wearing cotton clothes that cover up all parts of the body, limiting exposure.
7. Wear goggles while riding two-wheeler: Eyes are one of the most sensitive parts of the body. Exposure to pollution could lead to reddening, itchy or watery eyes, in addition to causing headaches or even early onset of cataract. When riding a two-wheeler on polluted days, wear protective goggles to prevent the entry of dust and pollutants into the eye.
8. Reduce indoor pollution: Many people tend to ignore the dust pollution indoors. Coupled with polluted air, you are putting your immune system in deep risk. Use air purifiers at home and keep home as dust-free as possible. Indoor plants like Aloe Vera, Peace Lily, Spider Plant and snake plant, tend to absorb some amount of indoor pollution.
9. Increase ventilation at home: Make sure that there is a chimney at home, to ensure that cooking fumes are released outside. Using monitoring apps, find out when pollution levels are least in your area and keep windows open then.
10. Do your part: Take public transport to reduce your share of vehicular pollution. However, take required precautions before venturing outside. Prevent burning wood or other kinds of fuel that will worsen the pollution levels in your neighbourhood. Burning waste is punishable under the law. If you see someone burning waste, report to the police or Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.