What Do Air Quality Alerts Mean For Your Health

Coughing and eye irritation are just some air pollution health effects

Stepping outside to get a breath of fresh air is beneficial for your health and well-being. Stepping outside to get a breath of smog and haze? Not so much.

Breathing in pollutants like wildfire smoke or factory emissions not only puts a damper on your outdoor activities, but it’s also bad for your health.

“While children, older adults and people with lung conditions like asthma are at higher risk for complications, air pollution health effects can impact everyone,” says Jonathan Spahr, MD, a pediatric pulmonologist at Geisinger. “Being aware of poor air quality gives you the chance to take proactive steps to reduce exposure and protect your health — and ultimately, breathe easier.”

What is the air quality index?

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a scale used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to measure the condition of the air we breathe by tracking 5 major pollutants:

Ground-level ozone (smog)
Particle pollution (also called particulate matter)
Carbon monoxide
Sulfur dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide

AQI uses a scale from 0 to 500 — the lower the number, the better — to help families make informed decisions about outdoor activities and health precautions, especially those who are sensitive to air pollution.

“Threats to breathing aren’t always obvious. Even when the sun is shining and the sky is blue, unhealthy gases and particulate matter can be floating all around us,” says Dr. Spahr. “Smoke from wildfires — even hundreds of miles away — factories and vehicle exhaust are all major contributors to poor air quality.”

Based on the highest level of any of these 5 pollutants, the EPA labels air quality using 6 color-coded categories:

Green/good (0–50): Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
Yellow/moderate (51–100): Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Orange/unhealthy for sensitive groups (101–150): Members of sensitive groups may have health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.
Red/unhealthy (151–200): Some people may have health effects; members of sensitive groups may have more serious health effects.
Purple/very unhealthy (201–300): Health alert: The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.
Maroon/hazardous (301+): Health warning of emergency conditions: Everyone is more likely to be affected.

“Air quality is a lot like the weather — it can change rapidly within a week or even throughout the day,” says Dr. Spahr.

What do air quality alerts mean?

An air quality alert is issued by the government when air pollution levels reach unhealthy or hazardous levels to help people take proactive measures.

“An orange or red alert means sensitive groups like children, older adults and people with conditions like asthma, allergies or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will be most affected,” explains Dr. Spahr. “But when a purple or maroon air quality alert is issued, that’s something everyone should pay attention to.”

To stay up to date on air quality in your area, enter your zip code into the EPA’s online AirNow tool. It can show the latest data near you and help you plan ahead with air quality index forecasts.

Air pollution health effects

The quality of the air around you plays a big role in your family’s overall health.

“Every time you breathe, you’re bringing the outside world into your lungs and into your body,” says Dr. Spahr. “When the air’s heavy with pollutants or irritants, they can get into the lungs and cause significant inflammation and reduced lung function.”

Common short-term symptoms of poor air quality include:

Difficulty breathing
Coughing or wheezing
Chest tightness or pain
Racing heartbeat
Headaches
Sore throat
Fatigue
Eye irritation
Dizziness

“In the long term, exposure to air pollution can affect more than just your lungs,” says Dr. Spahr. “Pollution that you breathe in can get into your blood and, in turn, your organs, and studies have linked poor air quality to an increased risk of strokes, heart attacks and even some cancers.”

Air pollution also can worsen conditions like:

Asthma
COPD
Respiratory infections like bronchitis, colds or pneumonia
Emphysema
Allergies

“If you or your child have lung disease or breathing problems, even low levels of air pollution could cause a flareup or exacerbate symptoms,” says Dr. Spahr.

Poor air quality? 6 tips to safeguard your health

Regularly checking local air quality index forecasts allows you to plan your day accordingly. And if an air quality alert is issued in your area, you can take steps to protect your family’s health.

Dr. Spahr recommends the following:

Stay indoors as much as possible

Be sure to keep windows and doors closed.

Avoid strenuous outdoor activities

Move workouts indoors because the health effects of air pollution are worsened by deep, rapid breathing. If you must exercise outdoors, avoid times of day when pollution is high like rush hour and work out in green spaces away from busy streets.

Wear a mask

If you do have to go out for a long period of time, consider wearing an N-95 mask to filter out pollutants and take frequent breaks indoors, if possible.

Run your air conditioner in your home and car

Just make sure the filter is clean and up to date. When riding in your car, use the air recirculation button.

Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your home

A HEPA air purifier removes harmful particles. Just be sure to choose one that doesn’t generate ozone.

Keep indoor air clean

Don’t burn candles, incense or firewood inside. Avoid using harsh cleaning chemicals as well.

If you or your child have an existing health condition, such as asthma or another lung issue, take your daily medications to help prevent symptoms and carry an inhaler for precaution.

“Knowledge is power,” says Dr. Spahr. “Whether or not you have a breathing condition, staying informed about air quality in your area and taking a few simple precautions can go a long way toward better health.”