How to keep yourself safe and healthy despite the air warnings

Millions of Americans living on the East Coast woke up Wednesday to air-quality warnings as Canadian wildfire smoke filled the sky.

Vulnerable populations were advised to stay inside, while some schools canceled outdoor activities and some public places were closed in the worst-affected areas.

Hundreds of wildfires are burning in Canada in Ontario, Quebec and western provinces, and winds pushed the smoke downward along the East Coast, as well as across the Great Lakes region. Air-quality warnings were issued in cities from Boston and Syracuse, N.Y., all the way down to Charlotte, N.C., and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

As of Wednesday morning, the air-quality warnings in some cities had moved from category orange, which is “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” to category red, which is “unhealthy,” and purple, which is “extremely unhealthy.”

The effects of the poor air quality are not expected to subside for another day or two.

For people living in impacted areas, health experts suggest these steps to mitigate short- and long-term damage, especially for the groups most susceptible to its harmful effects. 

Stay inside as much as possible

Experts say limiting exposure to polluted air, while perhaps intuitive, is key, especially for people with lung issues. Air quality warnings are caused by the detection of fine-particle pollutants in the air, which can have especially harmful effects on the lungs and heart.

“We have defenses in our upper airway to trap larger particles and prevent them from getting down into the lungs. These are sort of the right size to get past those defenses,” David Hill, a Connecticut pulmonologist and a member of the American Lung Association’s National Board of Directors told the Associated Press.

“When those particles get down into the respiratory space, they cause the body to have an inflammatory reaction to them,” he said. 

Children, whose lungs are still developing, are among the “sensitive” groups, along with older adults and people with lung diseases.

That means children in affected regions should avoid playing outside for the time being, and people generally should avoid outdoor exercise and yard work. Working from home could be a good choice for those with that option. 

Wear an N95 mask outdoors

If people do go outside, wearing an N95 mask could protect them against inhaling harmful pollutants. 

“Reminder that N95 masks help protect against smoke too. It’s a good idea to wear a mask outside today!” Lucky Tran, a scientist and public health advocate, wrote on Twitter.

Seal homes, filter air

While inside, keeping your windows, fireplaces and doors completely sealed is a good place to start.

Experts suggest running the air conditioning on a recirculation setting if possible. This is also a good time to check air filters on home HVAC systems and replace them as needed.

For those particularly concerned or who are acutely at risk, investing in high-quality air purifiers that remove pollutants from the air can be a good option.