Canadian wildfires cause breathing problems in Michigan

I am jumping in here after too many months of silence on my blog with a report on poor air quality in Southeast Michigan. This is one of those issues that can leave people with disabilities and their families especially vulnerable to bad health effects. The Detroit Free Press covers this story in an article by Christina Hall, "Smoke from Canadian wildfires creates respiratory hazards for southeast Michigan residents", 6/7/23. The article includes a survey of local health systems that are experiencing increases in emergency department visits along with expert advice on how to avoid the worst health outcomes from poor air quality:

"Dr. Lawrence MacDonald, chief of pulmonary medicine at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital in Commerce Township, said most people shouldn’t be affected because their body can handle added dust or allergens in the air.

"However, these air conditions can exacerbate respiratory issues, especially asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

"'You can end up sick. You can end up wheezing and coughing and short of breath. If you’re sick to begin with, you could end up in the hospital. So, the best therapy would be it’s always best to avoid things that trigger lung disease,' MacDonald said." 

...

"The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments recommends people and businesses do what they can when high levels of ozone are expected, because breathing high concentrations of ozone can cause health problems, particularly for elderly people, children and people with asthma or other respiratory issues."

Here are SEMCOG's recommendations:

• Delay mowing lawn until evening or the next day.
• Avoid refueling your vehicle during daylight hours.
• Drive less, telecommute, bike or walk.
• Delay or combine errands to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.
• Reduce electricity use. Adjust your thermostat a few degrees higher and turn off lights, computers and other electrical devices when not in use.

Another piece of advice from the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is to wear an N95 mask, as recent research found those masks reduced hospitalizations from wildfire smoke by 30%.

I will not point out the irony of opponents of mask-use during the COVID pandemic, who, because of their own health vulnerabilities, are donning masks and staying indoors, except to assure everyone that these warnings are not a hoax!