FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2023
CONTACT: Chris Boyle—Director of Communications
(860) 706-9654 – christopher.boyle@ct.gov
Connecticut Department of Public Health recommends residents be cautious about exercise and outdoor activities due to the poor air quality
HARTFORD, Conn.— With the unhealthy air quality from elevated levels of smoke from the wildfires in Canada, the Connecticut Department of Public Health is recommending that people with asthma or heart and lung conditions avoid outdoor exercise today.
“The health effects for some people may include chest tightness, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, eye irritation, chest pain, dizziness or lightheadedness, and other symptoms,” said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. ‘We recommend that you avoid any outdoor exercise today if you have an underlying health condition. Be sure to have your medications readily available and seek medical attention if these issues worsen.”
Commissioner Juthani added that closing windows and doors will help keep smoke out of the home. Children, the elderly, and those with asthma or heart and lung conditions are most at risk for experiencing symptoms from elevated air pollution that is expected today. Even healthy adults who spend prolonged periods outdoors working or exercising should minimize their outdoor exertion because poor air quality can impact even those not considered vulnerable.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protections monitors the state’s air quality and posts air quality forecasts each day on the Air Quality Index (AQI). CT DPH encourages schools, day care providers, summer camps and elder care/senior centers to subscribe to the Air Quality Index (ct.gov) . Subscribing is fast and easy and will provide you with important information each day about Connecticut’s air quality throughout the spring and summer.