Be careful outdoors!

“Extremely bad”: air is now affecting the Viennese

Anyone currently suffering from respiratory problems, coughs or colds in Vienna should not spend too much time outdoors. Krone.at reveals why ...

(Bild: APA/HERBERT NEUBAUER (Symbolbild))

Anyone in Vienna who has been suffering from symptoms such as coughing, breathing problems or sneezing for days is likely to be suffering the consequences of the current air quality. Some weather apps even classify it as "extremely bad". Particulate matter levels are high. You can find out what to watch out for now at krone.at ...

Many Viennese are worried. Weather apps had already warned about the air quality in the days before. This can be classified as moderate to poor and is expected to remain so in the coming days - at least until Thursday. The main pollutant contributing to the current poor values is particulate matter.

Concentration above WHO limit value
There are a total of 17 air quality measuring points in the federal capital. Twelve of them also measure particulate matter (PM2.5). This value and the PM10 value (coarser particulate matter) are particularly high. The PM2.5 concentration is even around 1.6 to 2.6 times higher than the limit value recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Recommendations

Due to the current air quality, the following measures are recommended:

• Wearing a mask when outdoors
• Reduce the time spent outdoors, especially for sensitive groups of people
• Use public transportation or carpooling instead of private vehicles
• Use of air purifiers indoors

This index can also have an impact on the health of some people. Particularly sensitive groups of people may be affected. Possible symptoms include coughing, breathing difficulties and exacerbation of asthma. With prolonged exposure, even healthy people can develop symptoms. 

Increased emission of pollutants
According to experts, however, the current readings are not unusual at this time of year. Air quality in Vienna typically deteriorates from the end of October, with the winter months being the worst affected in terms of air pollution. This is partly due to meteorological factors, but is also due to the start of the heating season. With the onset of the colder season, people heat their homes more, which leads to increased emissions of pollutants.

The forecast for the next few days points to persistently poor air quality.