Health guidelines in place as Bangkok chokes
The Bangkok Health Department is coaching gasping residents on protecting themselves from the PM2.5 pollutants again draping the city and has medical staff on the streets to give aid where needed.
Department director Dr Chawin Sirinak said on Wednesday (January 8) the measures were in place even as the Pollution Control Department reported PM2.5 dust levels beyond safety standards across Bangkok and vicinity – and in many cases rising.
The levels ranged from 39-71 micrograms per cubic metre, while the safe limit is 35.
Chawin urged the Department of Disease Control to be ready with its own measures should the danger increase.
Guidelines distributed to 68 public health centres indicate that, during periods of relatively safe PM2.5 levels – below 50mcg – they must keep the public informed about possible risks and means of protection.
When the level is 50-75mcg, they should monitor people at risk – the elderly, those confined to bed, children, pregnant women and those with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Between 50 and 75mcg, alerts should be going out and risk groups carefully observed.
If the level hovers between 76 and 100mcg for three consecutive days, the centres should have teams actively warning of the danger and personally visiting people at risk.