Image from the Sahara, the planet Mars, Dune or… Blade Runner. No matter how one describes it, the eerie, dystopian scene set up today, Tuesday (23/4) over Attica (but also many other areas of the country) troubled the Athenians, with the African dust doing everything… Orange!
According to experts, today’s eerie incident is the culmination of this rare phenomenon, with the “orange cloud” expected to dissipate tomorrow, Wednesday.
Characteristic is the satellite image from the Windy platform, with the cloud of African dust appearing to say goodbye to the capital at around 14:00 noon on Wednesday.
According to the prognostic data of meteo.gr/National Observatory of Athens, in addition to the greatly increased concentrations of dust that limit visibility, there were also mud showers mainly in northern and western Greece.
As the director of the EMY, Thodoris Kolidas, reports, the African dust will begin to recede slowly from the atmosphere. The turn of the winds to the west will result in the limitation of dust in the Dodecanese and its progressive removal to the east.
Loukidis in Action 24: “Mostly young children are affected”
Regarding the health problems caused by the “orange cloud” over Greece, pulmonologist Stelios Loukidis spoke to Action 24, where he stated:
“We had no admissions, at least at the hospital where I am. But it certainly had a greater impact on primary health care as many people experiencing symptoms from the conditions turned to primary health care for advice and treatment recommendations.
But what should concern us is that all these changes, all these effects may not only affect what we are discussing today but slowly bring about chronic respiratory diseases, with the main representative being asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and above all to affect young children because we know very well that environmental exposure to a young child with some predisposing factor is a very good substrate”.
African dust: The recommendations of the Hellenic Pulmonology Society
As the Hellenic Pulmonology Society points out, it is important that citizens, especially those with respiratory problems, take precautions during periods with increased levels of African dust. Here are some guidelines to help you minimize the health effects of the phenomenon:
Stay informed. Monitor air quality reports and weather forecasts to know when African dust levels are expected to be high.
Limit outdoor activities. If possible, avoid spending extended periods of time outdoors when dust levels are high, especially during windy days when particles are more likely to become airborne.
Close the windows and doors. While homes and workplaces should generally be ventilated, during African dust peak periods, ventilate a little in the morning and then keep windows and doors closed to prevent dust particles from entering your home or workplace. If you have one, use air cleaners or filters to improve indoor air quality.
Use masks. When going outside, especially in dusty conditions, consider wearing a mask to reduce inhalation of dust particles.
Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water.
During periods of increased dust levels, it is highly recommended that people with pre-existing respiratory conditions take precautions to minimize the health effects of exposure to dust particles.
Asthma patients may need to increase the dosage or frequency of taking inhaled medications based on the control plan recommended by their doctor to reduce symptoms. It is pointed out that at this stage special attention is recommended to asthmatics, due to spring allergies.
Patients with COPD may need to increase palliative care with inhaled medications.
