Experts advised public to limit outdoor activities and use face masks during smog season
ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP):Medical experts on Saturday have advised the public to use face masks and to take special care during smog season especially small children and those suffering from asthma and tuberculosis.
Talking to a private news channel, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist Dr Umer Farooq said like every year this year too a thick smog blanketed the Punjab city and citizens complained about having breathing problems, throat infections as well as irritation in the eyes and nose.
He recommended citizens to cover their noses and mouths and wear protective glasses and helmets to fight the effects of smog as Smog is not a simple thing to deal with as people affected with smog can become cancer patients in the long run.
With pollution level continuing in the ‘severe’ category in Punjab he advised people to take a lot of precautions, including wearing face masks and avoiding early morning and late evening walks as concentration of pollutants is highest during this period.
While he warned people not to expose themselves to the harmful smog and said the government was “taking steps to control air pollution in Punjab and hopefully the intensity of smog will be decrease”.
He said eye diseases and incidences of the flu will increase in the coming months, adding, citizens should use face masks and should wash their eyes with water if they feel irritated.
In the morning, citizens traveling on motorcycles should also be careful to avoid eye and chest infections. Further, patients with heart diseases and high blood pressure should also be cautious,” he advised.
From dry cough to breathing problems and sore eyes to skin irritation, many healthy people in the city have suffered hazards of the severe dust pollution, which has worsened the condition of patients suffering from asthma, he added.
Experts warn that air pollution can trigger new cases of asthma and aggravate existing conditions.
Air pollution significantly harms lung development and enhances lung diseases later in life, he mentioned.
Dr Farooq said keeping the body hydrated is the foremost thing in these times and drinking more water would be advisable.
One could also consume vegetables juice and fruit juice, he said.
He also advised citizens to keep allergy kit ready with required medicines, inhalers and nebulisers, if any family member has a respiratory illness.
Try to make your home and streets a little greener, he suggested, adding, bring home some natural air purifiers which suck up all the pollutants.
The plants would not only help with the air quality, but will also help as a mood refresher, he added.
Asthmatic patients should carry their inhalers at all time. They can also increase their medication after consulting with their physicians if their symptoms worsen, he added.
