Winter may relieve one from the scorching heat, but it has adverse effect on one’s health as the air pollution increases manifold. The sharply deteriorated air quality and change in weather condition may trigger respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis and other lung-related disorders, if appropriate precautionary measures are not taken.
City doctors advise people to stay indoors as much as possible to avoid coming in contact with the smog, which can cause serious lung problems and some times pneumonia too.
“With the winter setting in, pollution will build up rapidly these three months (October, November and December) and several times higher than the permissible limit. Strict action is required to be taken in order to control the air pollution
that has gone up immensely due to multiplication of vehicles in the city. Something should be done to reduce the usage of personal vehicles on roads, which release toxic fumes and deteriorate the air quality,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, Executive Director of Central for Science and Environment (CSE).
Doctors said that decrease in temperature coupled with pollution may cause allergic bronchitis, coughs, cold, breathlessness, fevers, wheezing. Eye irritation and infection cases rise and people need to be cautious, especially during sunrise and sundown.
“Sore throat, runny nose and bronchitis are the most common health problems during this period of
weather change. During this time, we advise everyone to wear warm woollies, especially in the mornings and evenings and continue taking their medications without fail, if any. People
already suffering from asthma and chronic diseases need to take special care by keeping themselves covered properly and avoid coming in contact with the smog,”
said Dr Amit Dhamija, Consultant at the Department of Chest Medicine of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
“Cold air is heavy and doesn’t go away easily, so the particulate matter mixed in it stays for a longer time and harms people coming in contact with it leading to problems of breathlessness and bronchitis. Wearing surgical masks as protective gear won’t help much. Elder people can take the vaccine for influenza as a preventive measure,” said Dr S Chandra, neurologist at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).