People with respiratory issues cautioned against exposure to Saharan dust

 

Consultant physician and pulmonologist Dr. Paul Scott is warning that constant exposure to the Saharan dust could result in complications for people with respiratory issues. 

 

Another wave of the Saharan dust started affecting the island Monday and is continuing.

 

Dr. Scott is urging people with respiratory illnesses to take their medications on time and limit exposure to the dust.

 

"So these are some of the simple things you can do to limit your exposure: Make sure you take your medications regularly, those who have it; use a mask when you're going outdoor; keep a check on to know when are the heavy days and when are the light days in terms of allowing yourself movement outside and also for your children or other weak individuals. 

 

"The elderly also would have a problem...with heavy dust load. So...you may want to keep [them] inside more. Where you can, limit exposure in terms of opening up your windows again. During a period a heavy dust load, you may want to keep your windows relatively close, especially, I guess, if you can manage the temperature with air conditioning and so on. That helps," Dr. Scott suggested Tuesday while speaking on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines.

 

Rohan Brown, Manager of Weather Services at the Met Service, said there could be more episodes of the Saharan dust across the Caribbean.

 

"For the Saharan air layer, right, it typically ramps up in June and into July and then the peak is in mid-August. So for the next few months or so, we're going to be having more episodes of the Saharan dust coming across. Again, it is monitored by satellite and sometimes on the satellite, it is that thick layer that is of concern for the most part. And we're seeing a number of those lining up over the next couple of weeks. As they leave the west coast of Africa, come across Atlantic, they first enter the eastern Caribbean and into the central Caribbean. So the peak is July into mid-August and therefore we could look for more episodes down the road," he cautioned.