In the last couple weeks, Minnesota has been visited periodically by a heavy cloud of haze, courtesy of smoke from wildfires up near Canada, borne south on the wind.
It’s not a very common occurrence here, meaning unlike our friends and family out West, we Minnesotans don’t necessarily know what’s safe to do or not when the air quality is poor.
Since hazy air like this is expected all weekend and into next week (current air quality and forecasts can be found here, you can see all of Minnesota here), MinnPost asked Teddie Potter, director of planetary health at the University of Minnesota’s School of Nursing, some questions we’ve been hearing about how to stay healthy on bad air days.
Why is it bad to breathe in smoky air like we’re seeing?
The primary issue with the haze in the air right now is tiny PM2.5 particles. These particles are small, and when breathed in, can lodge deep into people’s lungs and into the bloodstream.
What are some of the issues people who are healthy might experience in poor air situations?
A day with very poor air quality is not a good day for anyone to be outside doing strenuous activity. AirNow.gov’s current air index does a good job of explaining which types of activities for people at different risk levels.
[image_caption]Teddie Potter[/image_caption]
It can also cause inflammation in the lungs, which can make it harder to fend off viruses. This means people who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 and are out inflaming their lungs by breathing in smoke may be at increased risk of the virus’ infection.
“Anytime your lungs become inflamed or irritated or sort of hyperactivated, you become more susceptible to infection,” Potter said.
What about for people who have asthma or cardiac issues?
For people with preexisting conditions that can be exacerbated by inhaling bad air, exacerbation of those issues is the concern. Someone with asthma, for example, might not ordinarily have an asthma attack doing a certain activity outdoors. Bad air could trigger that sort of thing.
What about babies and kids — and dogs?
Parents should take extra care with babies and kids on days with dangerously bad air quality, Potter said.
“Babies and children just do not have the capacity or the maturity of their lungs to clean them as effectively as we do,” Potter said. Plus, kids have a tendency to run around, which can make them breathe heavily.
“When you deep breathe, you get these little teeny micro particles down into the depths of your lungs, and that’s when you start to trigger inflammation,” Potter said.
Likewise, it may not be the best time to do heavy activities outdoors with your dog.
On a bad air day, you might want to choose a short walk over a long game of fetch or a trip to the dog park. Also consider that the dog can’t tell you it’s feeling tight-chested if it is feeling the effects of inhaling smoke, Potter said.
Should I reconsider plans to eat lunch outside?
Not necessarily.
“If people don’t have any underlying conditions, then they need to listen to their bodies,” Potter said. “If they’re just going to take a half-hour lunch break, sit out on a picnic table at their work, fine, but if you step outside the door and you’re already feeling a scratchy throat, cough, your chest feels tight, don’t have lunch outside.”
How’s the indoor air quality when the outdoor air is bad — should I even be working out indoors?
If you’re in a space that has filtered air, its quality is probably much better than the air outdoors. Rooms with lots of windows or old, drafty buildings are also less likely to have good air, Potter said. Again, listen to your body. And definitely don’t make the air quality worse by doing things like burning candles.
Is it a good idea to wear an N95 mask outside on poor air days?
For people with respiratory conditions, a mask could be a good idea, Potter said — if they’re wearing it correctly.
It’s also a good idea for people who have to be outside working for extended periods or people who, say, have a long bike commute to work.
Thanks for the very good article.
A recent study in MN indicated that approx 2000 people in the state die from air pollution annually. Many were astounded by the high numbers and made immediately remedial changes. And yes, companies need to be regulated to avoid pollution. But camp fires and backyard fires also sb banned for obvious reasons. Gas or canister flames provide both heat & ambience with out the deeply harmful wood smoke particulates. New habits take just 2 weeks to establish and it’s an easy change. Lastly, Covid is a respiratory illness and we already have far too many wild fires again this year polluting the air across the country. So why compound the issue when so many folks’ lungs, hearts & overall health…and even mortality–is at risk??
Yeah good luck with that. If you honestly think that banning campfires and backyard barbeques in the name of fixing air pollution on any meaningful scale is gonna be a winning issue in promotion of that ideal, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s quite literally crazy talk, and would incur a backlash that would set legitimate environmental action back on the magnitude of decades. You’ll never achieve meaningful change going after ordinary citizens, and NO “walking and chewing gum at the same time” is not an applicable analogy in this circumstance, because the act of demonizing folks recreational activities means those same people go from at best, allies to your overall end, and at worst indifferent, to actively working to defeat those who took away their enjoyment. You may not like that reality, but it IS the reality.
I completely agree with your comment here. But I would add that the thought process you are employing here is something I use widely, and where you and I sometimes disagree. LK is probably correct on the harm, but taking action here would alienate people and be counterproductive.
Its almost like different issues and situations require differing thought processes and stratagems. I would advise you to not apply your hammer, when every situation does not represent a nail.
I agree with LK WOODRUFF with regard to wood burning backyard fire pits within a city. My wife and I would like to open our windows to let cooler, fresh air into the house during spring, summer and fall months but many times there is nothing available but wood burning smoke from our many neighborhood fire pits.