Question

Your teacher has requested you to give a speech at your assembly on how to protect ourselves from haze in 280 words

Answer 1

Is the haze back again? Let's take precautions.
Haze is an atmospheric condition where particles, smoke, dust and moisture suspend in the air, obscuring visibility. Slight haze usually disperses when the winds pick up strength. However, at times, it can linger for days or months. In Singapore, we may experience haze, particularly during the Southwest Monsoon Season (June - September).

Impact on your health
Short-term effects of haze:

o Among healthy individuals, short term exposure (i.e. continuous exposure to unhealthy daily average PSI levels over a period of a few days) to high levels of haze particles may cause irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. Such irritation resolves on its own in most cases.
o Haze particles can affect the heart and lungs, especially in people who already have chronic heart or lung disease e.g. asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or heart failure.
o There may be up to 1-3 days of lag time between exposure to haze and health effects/symptoms.

Long-term effects of haze:

o Singapore is not affected by the haze throughout the year. Any exposure is short-term in nature and such exposure may vary from year to year. As international studies are based on long-term exposure to air pollution, there is little robust data on the longer-term effects of short-term exposure to haze like the pattern seen in Singapore.

Protect yourself by understanding PSI
You are encouraged to use published PSI readings to plan your activities during hazy conditions. Reducing outdoor activities and physical exertion against escalating PSI values can help limit the ill effects from haze exposure.