News
"Looks can be deceiving and these little particulate things that are flying around, you can't always see them," said Deborah Weese, Family Nurse Practitioner with QuickMed.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has more than 100 million throughout the U-S under air quality alerts.
Canadian officials said more than 150 active wildfires are still burning in Quebec Wednesday evening.
More than a dozen states are impacted with some major cities like New York and Philadelphia having to cancel events. Thankfully, we are not seeing that kind of haze here in the Valley, but we are seeing an uptick of people going to local urgent cares due to the poor air quality.
Health experts explained what to do if you're experiencing any health effects.
"Looks can be deceiving and these little particulate things that are flying around, you can't always see them," said Deborah Weese, Family Nurse Practitioner with QuickMed.
As smoke spreads from wildfires in Canada, health agencies now recommending steps to stay safe from bad air quality.
"We're seeing an uptick in asthma exacerbations, COPD exacerbations and respiratory infections," Weese said. "So, it's definitely on the incline."
If you're facing symptoms like sneezing, shortness of breath, coughing, or eye irritation, allergies might not be to blame but rather the low air quality.
"That's the reason for the air quality alerts right now, and also for the hot humid days," said Dr. Emily Pennington, Cleveland Clinic Pulmonologist. "That's also when we'll see the air quality alerts."
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it's important to stay indoors as much as possible and avoid stressful activities like exercising outside.
"Keep your windows closed," Weese said. "Avoid going out in the situation especially if you're the people that are higher risk. Pregnant people, elderly people, young children, people with a history of asthma or COPD or lung problems."
"Especially when it's hot outside, if you're able to stay in air conditioning or if you have a fan to help keep you cool, those will all help," Pennington said.
Other ways to stay safe include using a respirator or maybe a face mask.
