This Expert

Jan 08, 2024

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This week, New York City is experiencing the worst air quality of any other city in the world, according to IQAir.com. At its peak, the air quality index on June 7—just under 400 (a healthy air quality index is below 50)—was the highest the city has ever recorded.

More than 100 wildfires currently burning in Canada caused smoke to travel south, and will continue to affect other cities in the area such as Washington D.C. and Boston, per NBC News.

Approximately 75 million people in the Midwest, Northeast, and the Mid-Atlantic regions are currently dealing with air quality alerts, per CNN.

Unfortunately, this probably won't be one and done occurrence, say experts.

The wildfires are an effect of climate change, and air quality of this level will likely become a somewhat typical occurrence in the summers to come, says Anjum Hajat, an associate professor of epidemiology at University of Washington who specializes in environmental health. "This isn't going away," she tells WH. "We're going to potentially see this summer after summer after summer."

Meet the experts: Anjum Hajat, is an associate professor of epidemiology at University of Washington who specializes in environmental health. Lina Mu is an associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the University of Buffalo.

Below, experts answer your biggest questions about what to do when the air quality is bad—and show you how to protect yourself.

Air Quality Index, or AQI, is a great tool to understand how safe it is to spend time outside. It's a number that is used by government agencies to easily indicate how clean or polluted the air is, and what precautions to take.

For example, New York City's air quality currently sits at 182, per IQAir.com, but varies depending on the neighborhood. A good air quality is around 30, and you probably shouldn't spend significant time outdoors with any air quality above 50, according to Mu. Numbers in the 50-100 AQI range is considered "moderate" air quality.

You can easily check your area's air quality at AirNow.gov. It will give you an exact AQI measurement and suggest precautions to take based on it. For example, New York City currently recommends for all sensitive groups (children, the elderly, and people with chronic respiratory conditions) to avoid the outdoors altogether.

The current air quality in many Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states is considered unhealthy for all groups. But some are more at risk than others, specifically: children, the elderly, pregnant people, and anyone with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma, heart, or lung disease. "They should be very cautious and stay indoors as much as possible," says Lina Mu, an associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the University of Buffalo.

However, everyone should avoid outdoor activities, particularly exercise, when air quality index levels go above 100, since it's considered harmful.

In New York City, health experts estimate the air quality will return to a somewhat normal level by Friday, June 9, 2023. However, weather has a major impact on how long bad air quality will last—and it's often unpredictable.

"It depends on how successful they are at fighting the fires in the first place," says Hajat. "It also depends on wind patterns, which are subject to change."

The best way to know when it's safe to return to outdoor activities is to track your area's air quality index. Most local governments also issue advisories.

The most important thing to do when you're dealing with poor air quality is to keep your windows and doors closed. However, both Mu and Hajat recommend investing in a HEPA air purifier or filter to ensure your indoor space's air is as clean as possible.

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But air purifiers can be expensive, so Hajat also has a more cost-effective solution for keeping your home safe: "You can buy an air filter and attach it to the back of a box fan," she says.

Hajat recommends investing in a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) 13 air filter, but any filter will suffice. "That's a low cost solution and [studies] have found that it's pretty effective at cleaning the air."

If you live in a larger space, it's also best to keep your air purifier in whatever room you're spending the most time in.

Mu also recommends keeping your air conditioning running, to keep air flow circulating. "As long as you have the air conditioner on, it will provide some protection, and if you add an air purifier that will also be very helpful," she says.

However, you should not run your AC if you use a window unit. Those air conditioners draw air directly from outside, which could pull bad air into your home—especially if it is not paired with an air purifier. People with chronic health conditions should be especially cautious of using a window unit, per Good Housekeeping.

The best thing you can do for your health when the air quality is poor is to avoid going outside entirely, but sometimes that's unavoidable.

"If you do have to go outside, I would suggest making a plan for your trip, and try to make it as short as possible to reduce your time outdoors," says Mu.

Hajat and Mu also recommend wearing a KN95 or N95 mask. "At some of these [high] levels, you're definitely going to get some exposure [if you go outside at all], but an N95 [or KN95] does provide some protection," Hajat says.

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Mu stresses that a KN95 or N95 is the preferred mask to wear, rather than a simple surgical mask (although any coverage is better than nothing). "Those masks provide the most protection because with wildfires, there are gas pollutants and particles—a major concern to people's health are those particles," she says. "An N95 [or KN95] has the most efficiency to [trap] those particles and keep them from entering the respiratory system."

Mu also says that pollutants can enter your body through your eyes, so it's not a bad idea to wear sunglasses or other protective eyewear when going outside. "Any type of glasses will protect your eyes from pollutants," she says.

If you are in a particularly vulnerable group—monitor your symptoms and consult your doctor with any concerns. "Air pollution triggers oxidative stress levels," Mu says.

Depending on how healthy your respiratory system, this can impact your body in different ways. "If you are a person who already has a health condition, certainly keep in touch with your health care provider and communicate your symptoms. If symptoms are showing, [you] should certainly seek further help," Mu says.

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