Air pollution in Kyiv and other regions: doctor's recommendations for health safety

Kyiv has one of the highest levels of air pollution in the world, forcing residents to take additional safety measures. Otto Stojka, PhD, a doctor at the Kyiv City Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and a public health expert, told a UNN journalist how to protect yourself from the effects of polluted air.

First of all, at work or at home, you need to humidify the air - it can be a humidifier, and if you don't have one, you need to do wet cleaning. Also, do not ventilate the apartment and drink more fluids if possible

He advises eating more fruits and vegetables to help reduce intoxication. Also, do not go in for outdoor sports.

The doctor notes that if you can smell the smell from the street in the room, you need to ventilate the room where you are.

"If you do need to go outside, you should wear a mask, moisturize it beforehand, and do it periodically. Using a simple mask will not help much, but if you periodically moisten it with plain water, it will trap harmful particles," Stoyka added.

He says that it is worth limiting the time spent on the street, because short-term stay is not critical.

He also advises wearing hats, because hair is more saturated than other parts of the body, but most importantly, this smog should be less likely to enter the respiratory tract.

"Periodically, you can wash your face, gargle, and gargle," Stoyka added.

The doctor notes that special attention should be paid to the safety of children, because they are more vulnerable - their respiratory system works worse than adults.

You can create a separate microclimate for babies, you can cover their crib with a moisturizing cloth to keep polluted air from getting in. If the baby is breastfed, the danger is a little less, but if the baby is on a mixed diet, you should monitor the water balance and give bottled water

Stoyka says that if necessary, you can go outside when the level of pollution drops to the "yellow level" and also be guided by your own feelings.

The doctor also advises smokers to limit smoking.

"If a person smokes at this level of air pollution, the risks for him or her increase. It is advisable for smokers to limit smoking on such days. You can use smoking cessation aids such as patches, gum or other nicotine replacement products," Stoyka added.

Recall

As of 9:30 a.m. on Friday, September 18, Kyiv was ranked first in the global ranking of cities with the dirtiest air by IQAir.  KCSA recommends closing windows, limiting outdoor activities, and drinking plenty of water.

The likely causes of air pollution are ecosystem fires, in particular forest fires, as well as a significant difference between night and day temperatures. At the same time, the State Emergency Service and the Capital Forestry Office saythat all recent forest fires in Kyiv region have been localized or eliminated and cannot be the cause of the air pollution that is observed in the regions adjacent to Kyiv region.