NYC Mayor Adams, health commissioner warn New Yorkers to mask up as air quality dips to worst since 1960s

[Admin]

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and city health and emergency management officials warned residents to stay inside as much as possible and mask up Wednesday, as smoke drifting from Canadian wildfires impacted the city.

"This air quality event, which for a time yesterday, gave us the worst air quality in New York City since the 1960s presents real health risks," Dr. Ashwin Vasan, commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said at a press conference Wednesday morning. The heavy smoke from the fires to the north cast a yellowish haze and odor, plummeting the air quality across the Big Apple. 

"The fine particulate matter in the air can get into people's lungs, cause inflammation and worsen conditions like asthma, chronic lung disease, or underlying heart conditions," Vasan said. "Older adults may be particularly vulnerable due to declines in lung function and weaker immune systems. Children may also be more susceptible due to poor air quality because their lungs are still developing. Our guidance right now, our health guidance to all New Yorkers is to limit outdoor activity as much as possible." 

"This is especially true for older adults, people with underlying chronic medical conditions or issues with their immune systems and young children who me, who all may be at elevated risk," he added. "Avoid going outside unless you absolutely have to. For people who must be outdoors, a high-quality mask like an N95, a KN 95 or a CF 94 is recommended."

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Adams backed this up, advising "vulnerable New Yorkers" to stay inside, but if they "must go outdoors," to wear a high quality mask.

Vasan said on Wednesday that so far, New York City is "not seeing an uptick in emergency room visits due to compromise or complications from this air quality event."

"That could change, and we're monitoring that closely," he added, warning residents to follow official guidance and not become subject to rumors, tweets or "anything on social media." 

Adams himself described when he first personally took note of the air quality change Tuesday. 

"It wasn't until I went outdoors and basically said, ‘you know what the hell is this?’" he recalled Wednesday. "It was clear there was something different that was happening in the city." 

"This is not the day to train for a marathon or to do an outside event with your children. Stay inside, close windows and doors, and use air purifiers," Adams said. 

At 10 p.m. EST Tuesday, New York City hit 218 on the Air Quality Index, indicating "Very Unhealthy" on levels of health concern, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued an air quality health advisory which will be extended at least until midnight Wednesday. 

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Zachary Iscol, commissioner of the New York City Emergency Management, urged people to keep windows closed, and if using an air conditioner to close the fresh air intake to prevent outdoor air from entering the home. Though public schools remain in session Wednesday, all outdoor activities including outdoor lunch were canceled. 

The latest smoke models show further deterioration in the early afternoon and through Thursday morning with smoke conditions "possibly looking better sometime tomorrow during the day with improvements, possibly tomorrow night into Friday morning," Iscol said. 

"The best protection, especially if you are somebody who is vulnerable is to stay indoors for now and to make sure you have the information you need to keep yourself and your loved ones safe, Iscol added, urging all New Yorkers to sign up the Notify NYC program by calling 311 or visiting the city's website. 

"We expect this to be a multiple day event," Iscol said. 

The mayor and other officials also cited the air quality event as evidence of climate change. 

"Climate change is accelerating these conditions, and we must continue to draw down emissions, improve air quality and build resiliency," Adams said. "New York City is clearly a national leader on public health and climate action. These dangerous air quality conditions are clearly an urgent reminder that we must act now to protect our city, our environment and the future of our children."

"It is a reminder, as the mayor has said, climate change is real," Vasan said. "It is here the extreme weather and disasters like these wildfires thousands of miles away land right here in our great city and impact our health. We are all connected in this global challenge and no one is spared, as we have done for years. We are here to keep New Yorkers healthy and safe as possible."

"As the mayor said, wildfires are growing increasingly more common around the world due to increased temperatures and drought," Iscol said. "We've seen this happen in Brazil and Indonesia, in California, now in Canada. Canada has 9% of the world's forests and this year's fire season has actually occurred early in Canada. The intensity, as well as the number of fires is far higher than usual. Usually it peaks in July. So this is something that we can continue to see possibly over the next few months."