Here Is How You Can Protect Your Health Against Air Pollution And COVID-19

New Delhi: Although the vaccination drive for COVID-19 is all set to begin in the country from January 16, the highly contagious virus is still posing a threat towards the immunity of individuals including their respiratory systems which is its main target in the human body. The air quality of the city, on the other hand, is slipping to severe categories further attacking the respiratory systems of the people living in the city. With the smog situation coupled with the threat of coronavirus, people in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi are at a higher risk of developing respiratory ailments. ANI spoke to a few doctors and health care experts to get some tips on how people can keep up with their health amid the growing health concerns.

Also Read: Air Pollution Linked To Increased Risk Of Pregnancy Loss In India: Lancet Study

Dr Arun Kumar P, who is the consultant of general medicine at Apollo TeleHealth, told ANI, that though using face masks while stepping out is an effective way to deal with air pollution, it is also important that one takes care of the air indoors as it can get toxic too.

They should protect themselves with a good N95 or cloth masks every time they step out. Also, having air purifiers indoors is advisable because the air we breathe indoors gets toxic too. Using air purifiers reduces the toxic pollutants in the atmosphere, he said.

He also suggested people to improve their immunity by ensuring a diet rich in nutrients and especially, protein, as it increases the production of antibodies in the body thus, enhancing the chances of recovery.

People should pay attention to improve their immunity by having high enriched protein diet which therefore helps in developing antibodies in the body and chances of recovery gets increased. Protein dense food includes pulses, paneer for vegetarian and for non-veg eggs, meat are advisable, also protein drinks, Dr Kumar said.

Also Read: Air Pollution And COVID-19: Is It About Time To Shift From Cloth Mask To Pollution Safe N95 Or N99 Mask?

“Citrus fruits enriched with Vitamin C helps in making the respiratory airways healthy to avoid any such lung diseases. Vitamin D3 also is an important variant that helps in aiding and boost our immune system and makes the recovery faster,” he said.

Dr Akshay Budhraja who is the consultant in the Pulmonology department of Aakash Super Speciality Hospital, on the other hand, threw light on how the unseasonal rain has led to moisture in the environment which is a constituent of the smog.

The unseasonal rain has increased the moisture in the air and reduced visibility causing fog. The combination of smog and fog can cause a number of health issues including seasonal influenza, COPD, and asthma flareups. Though this year, Delhi is experiencing less foggy days than other years, it can be a cause of concern amid COVID, Dr Budhraja told ANI.

He also stressed on the possibilities of catching more diseases after getting drenched in the rains and suggested that people stay indoors, avoid smoking, exercise, and get use air-purifiers and air-purifying plants in their houses.

Also Read: Poor Air Quality May Affect Recovered COVID-19 Patients: Experts

One must also avoid getting drenched as it increases the chance of common cough and cold as well as viral infections such as influenza, adenovirus, rhinovirus etc which can ultimately lead to pneumonia, he said.

“In this particular season, people who have comorbidities like chronic heart disease, COPD, Asthma, Rhinitis, etc should refrain themselves from morning walks especially in areas with dense fog, stay hydrated, avoid outdoor activities, ventilate the house, use air-purifying plants, avoid smoking, do yoga/exercise at home and get vaccinated for flu and pneumonia,” he added.

Dr Raj Kumar from the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre said that fog and colder temperatures can lead to higher transmission of coronavirus and hence, one must be extra careful in the current times with respect to their health. He said that though, the government has made an announcement about the vaccines, it is still important to wear masks.

Cold temperature and untimely rains are the main reasons behind the foggy mornings we are seeing. Both fog and cold temperatures can increase the transmission of the COVID-19 virus if adequate precautions are not taken. Wearing a mask is still important despite the announcement of approval for vaccines, he told ANI.

Dr Raj Kumar also suggested following other health guidelines like maintaining hand hygiene and following social distancing norms.

Also Read: Opinion: Breathing The Unknown – Measuring The Health And Economic Impact Of Air Pollution

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.