5 things you must do to protect yourself from pollution

The National Capital’s pollution levels have shot up to a ‘severe’ category, making it one of the most dangerous places for children, women and elders.

As per a statement by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the recorded particulate matter is almost 14 times the permissible level.

While the permissible levels of particulate matter (PM) are 2.5 and PM 10 (or 60 and 100 micrograms per cubic metres) respectively, the actual levels have gone five times higher. They are now touching 253, 421 micro gram per cubic metres, respectively.

This situation in the city has already had serious repercussions on the health of the residents who are now facing adverse respiratory conditions. Dr Pankaj Sayal, consultant, pulmonology, PSRI Hospital, New Delhi, lists the following ailments that are caused by this toxic level of pollution and suggests 5 ways to protect oneself from it.

Repercussions of this dangerous level of pollution

Children will become prone to airway diseases. The increasing pollution will affect their lungs and there is a possibility that due to excessive exposure to pollution, after a certain age their lungs can become similar to the lungs of a smoker. There will be an increased chance of asthma in the society and more people will start having respiratory diseases. The conditions of patients with respiratory diseases will get even worse. The level of infection will increase in the patients having any kind of lung infection, as the immunity of the body will decrease. There is a possibility that higher level of pollution can even lead to lung cancer but this is still not proven completely.