Nowadays, PM 2.5 dust has become a part of our daily lives, and it seems like it won’t disappear anytime soon. If we look at the data from previous years, we’ll see that there are only a few months with consistently good air quality, marked in green throughout the month, and about 6 months of moderate air quality, categorized as “green-yellow.”
For parents, it’s not easy to ensure that children grow up healthily in such conditions. Dust, whether it’s a little or a lot, can irritate children’s respiratory systems, causing coughing or a runny nose. If the dust levels are high enough, it could also directly affect their brain, lungs, and heart.
At the same time, children still need to develop their muscles, bones, and social skills, which they gain through running, playing, and interacting with friends outdoors for their mental health. We certainly don’t want to see children becoming the next “COVID Generation” since prolonged indoor living not only causes stress but also impacts their development in many areas in the long term.
Therefore, as parents, it’s crucial to stay calm and use accurate information to make decisions that strike a balance between both their physical and mental well-being.
Important Information about AQI and Daily Life
- AQI below 50:
- Safe for daily activities; children can run and play outdoors.
- In classrooms or homes with air purifiers, the AQI is often kept below 50, even when it’s as high as 190 outside.
- Be cautious not to overly restrict wearing masks. It’s important to allow young children—especially those who are still learning to speak clearly—to see the shape and movement of adults’ mouths to help them learn proper pronunciation.
AQI 51-100:
- Limit outdoor activities to no more than 30 minutes, avoiding strenuous exercise.
- If children are exposed to this level of air quality for 24 hours (without an air purifier), it is equivalent to smoking half a cigarette.
AQI 150 and above:
- Minimize outdoor exposure as much as possible.
- Being in this air for a full hour is equivalent to smoking 1/10 of a cigarette.
At Carroll Prep
For the safety of our children, every classroom is equipped with an air purifier, and the class floor captains ensure that the AQI remains below 50 at all times. Additionally, the indoor play areas on the 3rd and 4th floors are carefully monitored to keep dust levels below 100, which is 50% lower than the outdoor air quality.
Parents can read more about the policies regarding teaching and learning during high dust levels in the Parent Handbook.
References :
World Health Organization (WHO)
- World Health Organization. (2021). Ambient air pollution: A global assessment of exposure and burden of disease. WHO. Retrieved from https://www.who.int
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). Air Quality Index (AQI) Basics. EPA. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov
