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Coronavirus and air pollution – what do they have in common? Both COVID-19 disease and prolonged exposure to smog are accompanied by coughing. Doctors have already started to see patients convinced that they have the virus, while their symptoms result from something completely different. Can we distinguish between smog and covid coughs? In an interview with Medonet, Prof. Andrzej Fal, Head of the Department of Allergology, Lung Diseases and Internal Diseases of the Central Teaching Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw.
- As Prof. Andrzej Fal, cough related to air pollution is chronic. It often worsens in the morning and is accompanied by the coughing of gray secretions
- Fever may also differ from the effects of smog – the expert sensitizes
- You can protect yourself from contamination by using special masks with a filter. They are not perfect, but at the moment it is the best preventive measure
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
We wrote on Medonet on Wednesday that we are often unable to distinguish between these two types of cough. Many doctors report that they receive a lot of phone calls from people who believe they have the coronavirus because they have a strong cough. Meanwhile, after diagnosis, it turns out that the blame for poor health is not COVID-19, but very high air pollution, with which we dealt with in Poland in the first half of the week.
- See: Pulmonologist: air pollutants damage virtually all tissues and organs
The rest of the text below the video.
Covid cough and smog cough? How are they different?
– Air pollution is a serious problem. This is the second biggest killer in the world – points out prof. Halyard. – Cough, that accompanies it can be quite easily distinguished from the cough associated with other diseases. First of all, there is he chronic, that is, long-term. It often gets worse in the morning. Suffering from this ailment usually cough up gray secretion. For some, however, this cough appears only when we are directly exposed to the harmful factor, i.e. when when we go outside during very high pollutant concentrations – informs Fal.
- Read: WHO alert. Climate change could be more catastrophic than COVID-19
– When we suffer from an infection, in addition to coughing we also often have a fever, and with COVID-19 disease, additionally severe breathlessness. Meanwhile after exposure to smog, our body temperature will not be increased The professor said.
- we recommend: Our Polish problem is still a big one – smog and respiratory diseases in children and adults
Of course, when in doubt, it’s best to consult a doctor.
Protection against smog. Are masks a good idea?
And how can we protect ourselves from the smog that plagues our cities? It is worth getting special masks. – Masks to protect us against smog they are not perfect. They can very well filter PM10 suspended dust, but with other pollutants, such as sulfur compounds and ozone, their effectiveness drops quickly. However, it must be made clear that we do not have better protective measures on the market today – stated prof. Halyard. We recommend the anti-smog openwork sports mask, which you can buy at a favorable price on Medonet Market.
- You can buy a set of filtering masks at medonetmarket.pl
If the air quality is very bad, an air purifier and humidifier can provide relief at home.
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- Hospitals fill up when smog hits. Doctors warn
- A nine-year-old girl died of smog. She was the first victim of air pollution in the world
- How to protect yourself from smog? Practical advice