Readings today from the indispensable (and highly controversial) @BeijingAir feed:
For explanation of the readings, see this chart from the EPA and other government health agencies. Take-home message: air quality readings in the high 300s, like those prevailing in Beijing recently, are defined as "Hazardous" and only rarely occur in North America or Western Europe:
In case you can't read the "Hazardous" description, it says that readings over 300 "would trigger a health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected." For real-time reading of comparable US AQI levels, see this map.
I'm going to be in Beijing for two days as part of the overland China excursion that leaves the ship in Indonesia and rejoins it in Hong Kong. I hope I will be able to see from one end of the street to the other. I'm pretty sure two days is not enough time to do serious damage to me, but I do wish my Chinese hosts had a choice about what air they breathe over longer periods.
Maybe I'll add "BeijingAir" to my Twitter feed. It's published by the US Embassy based on measurements taken by equipment on their roof. The Chinese government wishes quite emphastically that they'd shut up about it.
Hi Roberta,
ReplyDeleteSnag a few of those air filter masks you can get at Walgreens. I used mine in Bangkok where the air was black and you could see it between you and a building 30 ft away. They also came in handy for my mom on a later cruise when she got caught in a dust storm at the Pyramids. On her whole bus she was the only one who could get out and look because she had the face mask.
I did come down with a pretty serious lung infection after Beijing but mine started on the ship. Also my driver was a heavy duty smoker. Knowing what I do now I would have requested a different car and driver but it was my first overland so didn't know better.
We had a ton of sick people on the ship so take your vitamin C and other immune boosters with you.
Asia was spectacular but very full of pollutants.
Michelle