A smokey summer fire season and COVID-19? Here’s how to protect yourself
With a potentially smokey summer wildfire season and continuing concerns about the COVID-19 respiratory illness, the Washington State Health Department has provided tips for handling them at the same time.
Summertime is peak wildfire season and less than two years ago, the northwest was engulfed in smoke stemming from Canadian wildfires, making it difficult to breathe.
Wildfire smoke can cause eye, nose and throat irritation that may be annoying, but is not deadly. More dangerous symptoms include wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.
Children, pregnant women and adults over 65-years-old are most vulnerable to the effects of wildfire smoke. For those who have an existing heart or lung condition like asthma or COVID-19, breathing in the smoke will make it much worse.
Even if you are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, breathing in the smoke can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible and at risk of contracting the virus if you are exposed to it, according to a health department news release Thursday, June 18.
According to the health department, detecting the difference between a cough that is related to wildfires and COVID-19 can be very difficult. Symptoms such as wheezing or shortness of breath warrant a call to your health care provider, no matter the cause, according to the release.
A COVID-19 test may be needed if you have a fever, are feeling achy or suddenly can’t smell the smoke while others can.
Keeping your home smoke-free
The health department provided the following five steps to keep smoke out of your home:
▪ You can do this by improving filtration and creating a clean air room in your home. If you create a homemade box fan air filter, never leave it unattended. Left alone, it is a fire hazard.
▪ When the air quality is poor, don’t add to indoor air pollution by burning candles or incense, or smoking inside.
▪ Close windows and doors when it’s smoky outside but open windows and let in fresh air when there’s better air quality outside.
▪ Wear your cloth face covering to slow the spread of COVID-19, but don’t think it is protecting you from the smoke. It keeps droplets from spreading but lets dangerous microscopic smoke particles in.
▪ If you live in an area where you might have to evacuate because of fire, as you prepare your emergency kits, be sure to add cloth face coverings and hand sanitizer to your bag.
More information about wildfire season can be found on the Washington Smoke Information blog and on the Smoke from Fires webpage.
This story was originally published June 19, 2020 at 5:00 AM.