Dos and don'ts to survive Delhi's toxic air

A thick cover of smog and dust has continued to blanket the national capital over the past few days. With air quality plunging to 'severe or hazardous category', even healthy people are facing issues such as breathlessness coupled with eye and nose irritation.

In its advisory, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) has instructed people to avoid morning walks and outdoor activities.

Voicing similar opinion, Dr VK Monga, Secretary, Indian Medical Association (IMA) spoke to ANI about some dos and don'ts one ought to keep in mind, given the steep increase in pollution.

"Delhi's air has become extremely polluted. It was predicted a few days ago that the condition will be bad in the first of November. And it's true. The condition is very bad as it is getting difficult to stand on the road and breathe," said Dr Monga.

He suggested that older people, kids, pregnant women and those with heart issues must avoid stepping out for morning strolls.

"The issues are specially faced by old people, kids, people with heart issues or pregnant women, among others. It is advised that old people must avoid going for morning walks. People otherwise should also strictly avoid outdoor exercises. Moreover, it was recently reported that Ranji Trophy players are also complaining of sickness due to the worsening air quality in the capital," he added.

Dr Monga also talked about the right pollution mask that will help one survive Delhi's toxic air.

"Surgical masks don't help as they can't stop any pollutants. Special masks for pollution are expensive and no mask works over 8-10 hours because when you breathe in, the water droplets in the air make the mask soggy. Thus, it doesn't work after that," he said.

Dr Monga thus suggested that if you plan on wearing a mask, do go for a good quality one. He further said that common masks only have a psychological benefit but don't help much.

While expressing concern over the deteriorating air quality of the capital during Diwali, Dr Monga cautioned the Delhiites. "The condition gets extremely worse during and after Diwali. Why don't we pay heed to the Supreme Court's ban on firecrackers?" he questioned.

"We are burning stubble here and there, and even the burning of waste is an issue. It seems people themselves are not worried about their health," he concluded.