Delhi Air Pollution: Doctor Suggests Closing Schools for Children After AQI Levels Crosses 400-Mark

New Delhi: As air pollution levels in national capital reach "very poor," doctors say that people with no history of respiratory diseases are suffering from breathing issues.

Dr Nikhil Modi, Senior Consultant for Respiratory Critical Care at Apollo Hospital, said that apart from regular patients, those who don't have any respiratory issues in past are showing up with symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, coughing and have increasing difficulties in breathing.

"We have seen air quality index (AQI). It is more than 400 and even 500 in many places. Due to this, our regular patients, who have asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) are having exacerbations. y are having more breathing difficulty.

y land up in emergencies to take nebulizers, and some of m require mission. Apart from regular patients, what we are seeing are those who don't have any respiratory issues in past, y are coming to us with runny noses, sneezing, and coughs, and y are also having increasing difficulties. So number of cases has suddenly gone up," Dr Modi said.

Apollo doctor furr suggested that government close schools for children as y remain vulnerable. Whenever pollution levels have gone beyond a certain limit, government has opted to close schools, Dr Modi said.

"For last few years, we have been seeing that government has taken action. Whenever this pollution level has gone beyond a certain limit, y have opted to close schools. This is important because children are from a vulnerable group.

As an ult, we are masked and can protect ourselves better, but children usually are not that effectively taking se measures. Secondly, ir lungs are still in developing stages, so y are bound to have more harm due to this pollution," doctor said.

air quality of Delhi continued to remain in 'very poor category,' as several parts of city witnessed smog for ninth consecutive day post- Diwali on Saturday.

According to SAFAR data, AQI in Delhi was recorded at 360 as of 8 AM today, categorised as ‘very poor.’

Or major parts of Delhi, including Bawana recorded an AQI of 409, Alipur at 387, Anand Vihar at 393, Dwarka Sector 8 at 362, IGI Airport at 344, Dilsahd Garden at 220, ITO at 359, Mundka at 377, Najafgarh at 379, New Moti Bagh at 411, Patparganj at 389, RK Puram at 376 and Wazirpur at 399, as per data of SAFAR.

Akshardham, one of famous tourist spots of Delhi and one of major routes connecting Delhi to several important parts of Uttar Presh recorded an AQI of 393 and air quality was categorised as 'very poor', as per CPCB. 

(Except for heline, this story has not been edited by Republic and is published from a syndicated feed.)