Families with asthma and allergies hunker down as haze worsens: 'We're just tolerating it'

As haze conditions worsen and PSI readings in parts of Singapore enter the very unhealthy range on Friday (Oct 16), some residents are taking extra precautions to protect themselves and their families.

Others have expressed concerns about the impact on their families' health and whether more can be done to protect vulnerable groups.

AsiaOne visited Toa Payoh MRT station at about 12.33pm on Friday, where just under 20 people were queuing at a mask vending machine to collect masks . The queue moved quickly, with a staff member assisting residents at the machines. Those waiting spent about five to seven minutes in the queue.

Among those collecting masks were residents concerned about how the haze could affect their families, particularly those with existing health conditions.

Asthma concerns prompt residents to stay indoors

Patience Lim, 35, told AsiaOne that she has asthma and has been taking precautions as the haze worsens.

She said she has been trying to limit her exposure by staying indoors, including in shopping malls, and keeping her windows closed at home. She also uses an air purifier, which she said helps.

Lim said she hoped the haze would pass soon, describing the prolonged situation as a concern for her and her family.

"We're just tolerating and seeing how much we can do," she said, adding that they would seek medical attention if their conditions changed.

She also felt that more could be done to protect people from the haze, including keeping children at home and allowing more employees to work from home.

"I think we shouldn't wait for our PSI to reach 200. To be honest, I think 180 is already quite bad," she said.

Retiree Jayme, 67, collected a mask for himself but had also hoped to obtain one for her 31-year-old daughter Lucy, who has allergies and a sensitive nose.

However, she said she was unable to collect a mask from the vending machine despite his understanding that she was eligible.

"I don't know why she she's not able to because I thought all the blue CHAS cards could," she questioned.

Jayme said clearer information about who qualifies for the masks would make the process easier for residents.

She also criticised the timing of the measures introduced in response to the haze, arguing that Singapore should have been better prepared given that the country had experienced similar situations before.

"Don't wait until it's so bad, then you start rolling this out, and everybody is rushing to get the mask," she said.

At home, her and her daughter keep their windows closed and use an air purifier, which she had purchased before the current haze situation.

Retiree Ang Cheong Betty, 80, said she had stopped her usual morning walks over the past two days because of the haze.

"I just work out at home now," Ang said.

As she has sensitive eyes, she wears sunglasses to prevent them from drying out further, while also wearing a mask.

Children adjust to changes in school routines

The haze has also affected children's daily routines, with schools making adjustments to limit outdoor exposure.

AsiaOne also visited the N95 mask distribution conducted at the Toa Payoh Central Community Club, where many parents brought their children after school to collect their masks.

Elliot Seah, 10, who collected a mask with his mother, said his school had moved recess into classrooms and stopped physical education lessons outdoors.

He said these changes had begun the previous day, adding that students were eating in their classrooms instead of going outside.

Another pupil, Jia Hong, 11, said he had stopped playing outdoors after school because of the haze.

"The smell is quite bad," he said.

Haze to persist for some time: Grace Fu

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said at the Haze Press Conference on Friday that "we can expect the haze to persist for some time".

However, the haze situation is expected to improve during the moonsoon season in the next three to four weeks.

Fu also said that members of the public should consider both the 24 hour PSI reading and the one hour PM 2.5 when planning for their daily activities, based on the time and specific region they are looking at.

The 24 hour PSI gives a picture of air quality over a longer period and is useful for assessing sustained exposure while the one hour PM 2.5 provides an overview of the current conditions.

asyiqin.nadzri@asiaone.com

周五（10 月 16 日），随着雾霾情况恶化，新加坡部分地区的空气污染指数 (PSI) 读数进入非常不健康的范围，一些居民正在采取额外的预防措施来保护自己和家人。

其他人则对疫情对家人健康的影响表示担忧，并质疑是否可以采取更多措施来保护弱势群体。

AsiaOne记者周五下午12点33分左右走访了大巴窑地铁站，发现有近20人在口罩自动售货机前排队领取口罩。队伍移动很快，一名工作人员在机器前协助乘客。排队的人大约花了五到七分钟。

前来领取口罩的人群中，有一些居民担心雾霾会影响他们的家人，尤其是那些本身就有健康问题的人。

哮喘问题促使居民待在室内。

35岁的Patience Lim告诉AsiaOne，她患有哮喘，随着雾霾加剧，她一直在采取预防措施。

她说她一直尽量减少外出，比如待在室内，包括去商场，并且在家紧闭门窗。她还使用空气净化器，她说这很有帮助。

林女士表示，她希望雾霾能尽快消散，并称这种情况持续下去令她和她的家人感到担忧。

“我们只能忍耐，看看自己能做到什么程度，”她说，并补充说，如果病情发生变化，他们会寻求医疗帮助。

她还认为可以采取更多措施来保护人们免受雾霾的影响，包括让孩子们待在家里，以及允许更多员工在家工作。

“我认为我们不应该等到 PSI 指数达到 200 才采取行动。说实话，我认为 180 就已经很糟糕了，”她说。

67 岁的退休人士杰米为自己领取了一个口罩，但她也希望为 31 岁的女儿露西领取一个，露西有过敏症，鼻子也很敏感。

然而，她说尽管他知道她符合领取口罩的条件，但她还是无法从自动售货机领取口罩。

“我不知道为什么她不能，因为我以为所有持有蓝色 CHAS 卡的人都可以，”她质疑道。

杰米表示，如果能更清楚地说明哪些人有资格领取口罩，将会使居民领取口罩的过程更加容易。

她还批评了应对雾霾措施的时机，认为鉴于新加坡以前经历过类似情况，应该做好更充分的准备。

“不要等到情况非常糟糕的时候才开始推广，那样大家都会争先恐后地抢购口罩，”她说。

在家中，她和女儿紧闭门窗，并使用空气净化器，这台空气净化器是她在目前雾霾情况出现之前购买的。

80岁的退休人士Ang Cheong Betty表示，由于雾霾，她过去两天停止了每天早晨的例行散步。

“我现在只在家锻炼，”Ang说。

由于她的眼睛很敏感，所以她戴着太阳镜以防止眼睛进一步干燥，同时还戴着口罩。

儿童适应学校作息时间的变化

雾霾也影响了孩子们的日常生活，学校也做出了相应调整，以限制孩子们的户外活动。

AsiaOne 还走访了在 Toa Payoh Central 民众俱乐部举行的 N95 口罩发放活动，许多家长放学后带着孩子来领取口罩。

10 岁的 Elliot Seah 和他的母亲一起领取了一个口罩。他说，他的学校已经将课间休息时间转移到了教室，并停止了户外体育课。

他说这些变化从前一天就开始了，学生们都在教室里吃饭，而不是到外面去吃饭。

另一名学生，11岁的贾宏说，由于雾霾，他放学后就不再在户外玩耍了。

“这味道很难闻，”他说。

雾霾将持续一段时间：傅慧玲

永续及环境部长傅海燕周五在雾霾新闻发布会上表示，“我们可以预期雾霾会持续一段时间”。

不过，预计未来三到四周的季风季节期间，雾霾情况将会好转。

傅女士还表示，公众在规划日常活动时，应根据时间和具体地区，同时考虑 24 小时 PSI 读数和 1 小时 PM2.5 读数。

24 小时 PSI 值反映了较长时间内的空气质量状况，可用于评估持续暴露情况，而 1 小时 PM2.5 值则提供了当前状况的概览。

asyiqin.nadzri@asiaone.com