The thick haze of smoke from Canadian wildfires covering Luzerne County has led to a noticeable increase in calls from patients with breathing concerns, a Geisinger doctor said Wednesday, but it does not appear to have caused more visits to emergency rooms or other acute care facilities.
“We’ve been receiving multiple calls from concerned pulmonary patients,” said Dr. Sean Divine, chief of Geisinger’s division of pulmonary medicine.”It’s more than the usual calls,” he added, noting that some people are calling because they are experiencing shortness of breath.
Some of those cases can be handled over the phone or through a telemedicine visit, but patients with known conditions have been admitted to the hospital after consulting with there pulmonologist, Divine said. They are being treated based on the underlying condition; the two most common are emphysema and asthma.
“There are risks to people with chronic lung and chronic heart disease, risks from the particulate matter in the air,” Divine said. “My recommendations are don’t go outside, and if you do, avoid strenuous work.” He offered additional advice circulating in the past two days: Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible, set air conditioners on recirculate, and consider wearing a mask if you do go outside.
Any lung condition can be exacerbated by the fine particulates filling the air and turning the skies an orange-tinged gray during the day. The particles can spark inflammation, leading not only to shortness of breath but possibly to the formation of clots that may cause a heart attack.
The elderly and children are generally most at risk; While a few days of exposure to most young lungs shouldn’t make a big difference, it can have an impact, especially if they have asthma.
And while the problems caused by the haze likely will clear with the skies, the health improvements aren’t necessarily instant. Health problems “may decrease in time, but even if you got rid of the smoke today the problems will linger for several days.” For some people, there could even be longer term consequences.
There’s still a risk that acute cases requiring medical attention may increase, Divine said. “We are prepared for it. This morning we discussed a potential plan if we have a large number of cases.”
While some forecasts expect a gradual easing of the pollution as the week goes on, Wednesday certainly gave no indication of that. The state Department of Environmental Protection on Wednesday issued a “Code Red Air Quality Alert” due to the wildfire smoke, effective statewide. It’s the third most dangerous level in a six-color system and signifies “unhealthy pollution levels for all.”
The media release warned “Smoke due to wildfires in eastern Canada will likely contribute to daily average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the Code Red range on Wednesday, with areas farther east experiencing worse air quality, possibly into Code Purple ranges. For areas in Code Purple, all residents should limit outdoor exertion, and sensitive populations should avoid all outdoor exertion.”
The smoke prompted Wyoming Valley West School District to reschedule Wednesday’s outdoor graduation ceremony to Thursday night.