The Oswego County Health Department advises residents to continue following safety precautions to limit their exposure to air pollutants. The air quality advisory the New York State departments of Health (NYSDOH) and Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) issued yesterday for most of the state continues today, June 7.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oswego County’s air quality is “very unhealthy” with an index of 211 as of noon. Recent air quality issues are due to wildfires currently burning in Quebec.

“As the air quality worsens, people with heart and lung disease, older adults, children and teens should take extra precautions and avoid outdoor physical activities,” said Oswego County Deputy Public Health Director Jodi Martin. “The EPA also recommends respirators such as the KN-95 masks to help filter out smoke and ash particles from the air.”

The health department has KN-95 masks available for pick up. Residents can come to the main entrance (Entrance B) on the west side of the building located at 70 Bunner St., Oswego between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. There is a mask limit of two per person.

Exposure to elevated levels of fine particulate matter can cause short-term health effects such as irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath.

Yesterday, Dr. Christina Liepke, medical director for the Oswego County Health Department, advised residents to monitor those with underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, COPD and heart disease, which could be exacerbated by air pollutants.

“Children, the elderly, and people with heart or breathing problems may also be particularly sensitive to this pollution,” she said. “We ask residents to keep an eye on their loved ones and seek medical care if they are experiencing worsening signs and symptoms.”

Otherwise, most people should avoid strenuous outdoor activities, keep outdoor activities short and consider moving physical activities indoors or re-scheduling them. They may also want to consider keeping windows and doors closed to protect indoor air quality and using air purifiers or air conditioners with high efficiency filtration if available.

People can monitor Oswego County’s air quality status at https://www.airnow.gov/?city=Oswego&state=NY&country=USA.