For many-such as renters-that’s not feasible. The California Air Resources Board recommends you consider permanently installing a ventilation system that filters outdoor air before it enters your home to protect against long-term or recurring episodes of air pollution, like seasonal wildfire smoke. The key to living indoors during fire season is to keep smoke out, especially if you have or live with someone who has underlying conditions such as asthma or heart issues. How can I reduce the impact of wildfire smoke inside my home? For details on protecting children from fire smoke, check out this fact sheet from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the American Academy of Pediatrics. There aren’t any N95s certified for children because all are too big to fit snugly over smaller faces. Ask your medical providers for advice tailored to your health situation. N95 masks may make it difficult for you to breathe, which is dangerous if you have certain lung and heart conditions. The valves help keep the mask from overheating, but they don’t prevent a person from potentially spreading COVID-19 when they exhale. standards.īoth the N95s with and without valves provide adequate protection against smoke. The same is true with a KN95 mask or N95 equivalents made in other countries that can function well but don’t meet U.S. Double masking, or using a cloth mask over an N95, can help create a tighter seal. The masks have straps meant to go around the back of your head to create a tighter seal around the nose and mouth, which can be difficult if you have facial hair. Still, they’re the best option for smoke-filled air. While the gold standard for protection, N95s can be tricky to fit and may be uncomfortable. The Centers for Disease Control, for example, states they’re the best choice for fire smoke, but during health emergencies, these masks should be saved for healthcare providers. Recommendations for N95 masks can be contradictory even among experts. They are widely available at local hardware stores, drugstores, and online. To filter out smoke, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends you use an N95 respirator mask - the highly sought-after face coverings that were most needed by frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic. But many kinds of masks, such as disposable paper masks, and cloth masks, are ineffective at blocking out the fine particulate matter contained in wildfire smoke. Masks are among the least expensive forms of protection against smoke and fallen ash, especially outdoors. Which masks best protect against wildfire smoke? When those shelters are open, they’ll be listed on the county’s Open Clean Air Facilities page. The Alameda County Health Department will also open clean air facilities to the public where you can go to breathe clean air indoors as well as cool off from any heat. If you can’t smoke-proof your whole house, create a “clean room” to hang out in, or a room protected as much as possible from the outside air. Make sure the mask has a tight seal around your nose and mouth.Įxperts also recommend sealing up your living space as best as possible to keep smoke from getting in, as well as using air filters to cleanse your indoor air. These masks definitely help, but still allow around 5% of particulate matter, the bad stuff, to pass through. When you do go out, make sure you’re wearing a good-quality mask (N95 or KN95). The public health message during bad air days is similar to the one heard during the worst of the pandemic: stay home. At least on the worst of smoky days. If you have or are recovering from COVID-19, you may be at greater risk from wildfire smoke, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), because the virus affects the heart and lungs. What do I need to know about wildfire smoke? Research also shows people in lower-income communities are at greater risk for smoke-related health problems. It also includes older adults, those who are pregnant, people with asthma and other upper respiratory conditions, and people with diabetes, because they’re more likely to have underlying cardiovascular or lung diseases. Environmental Protection Agency, that includes children and teenagers because they breathe more per pound of body weight. Some people are more likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke. Ongoing research links smoke pollution to other health problems including dementia. Polluted air is associated with heart attacks and strokes, primarily in people with pre-existing vulnerabilities such as lung or heart disease. This can trigger a slew of health risks, especially for older people, children, and those with respiratory disorders. Wildfire smoke is especially damaging to the human body because it contains tiny bits of aerosolized particulate matter that the lungs can’t filter out, so it goes directly into a person’s bloodstream.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |