The Caribbean Public Well being Company (CARPHA) is urging folks to guard themselves towards the antagonistic well being results of a Saharan mud plume, which has coated many elements of the Caribbean.
The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) in a Mud Bulletin dated February 9th, 2024 said, “It’s extremely seemingly that particulate matter ranges might be above the 24-hour out of doors air high quality pointers” as established by the World Well being Group (WHO).
Dr Pleasure St John, Government Director, CARPHA, defined, “Saharan mud worsens air high quality and will increase the degrees of particulate matter within the air. This may be hazardous, particularly to young children, older adults and other people with underlying lung circumstances and continual cardiopulmonary illnesses”. Dr St John added, “Saharan mud can even worsen the well being signs of those that endure from bronchial asthma, allergy symptoms and continual obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD)”.
In mild of the poor air high quality ranges, CARPHA is encouraging folks to take steps to keep away from the dangerous results of Saharan mud. These embody:
- Keep indoors as a lot as doable, and when outside, put on a mud masks (e.g. KN95)
- Utilise a HEPA filter indoors to purify air in particular person rooms
- Individuals who use drugs for pulmonary circumstances ought to all the time carry them and use them as prescribed.
- On the first signal of problem whereas respiration, search skilled medical recommendation instantly.
- For much less extreme signs, normal allergy drugs comparable to antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays might alleviate signs.
For extra info, please see excerpts from the connected CIMH Mud Bulletin.