Government recommends increasing fluid intake and temporarily suspending burning permits in the State
Given the scenario of dry weather, record of fires and worsening air quality, the Government of São Paulo released on Tuesday (10.Sep.2024) new health guidelines and directives for the entire State.
The main health recommendation is that people avoid outdoor physical activities and increase their water intake.
Among the measures announced, Cetesb (Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo) temporarily suspended burning authorizations in the state for sugarcane straw removal, phytosanitary burning or management. The only two exceptions are for the implementation of firebreaks to prevent the spread of fire and for phytosanitary purposes requested directly by the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply.
According to the State Fire Risk Map, there is a state of emergency for fires in almost the entire state of São Paulo until this Saturday (September 14, 2024). The crisis cabinet set up by the state administration at the CGE (Emergency Management Center) in Civil Defense remains mobilized to monitor and coordinate fire prevention and fighting actions.
In view of this scenario, the State Secretariats of Health, Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics, Cetesb and Civil Defense pointed out that the worsening of air quality caused by the fires is aggravated by the action of a mass of hot, dry and stable air, combined with the lack of rain, which makes it difficult for pollutants to disperse.
The departments continue to monitor and act to combat fire outbreaks, measuring air quality and assessing potential health risks. All recommendations will be shared with municipalities in São Paulo.
Air quality
Cetesb has an air quality monitoring network consisting of 85 stations, 63 of which are automatic and 22 are manual, distributed throughout the state of São Paulo. Monitoring follows internationally adopted measurement methods.
In recent days, a high number of stations have been observed with air quality classified as “very poor” and “poor” due to high concentrations of fine inhalable particles (dust, soot and smoke that remain suspended in the atmosphere due to their small size).
This situation is influenced by the various outbreaks of fires in the State, aggravated by unfavorable weather conditions for the dispersion of pollutants with a stable atmosphere, poor ventilation and lack of rain.
Health recommendations for the population:
- avoid outdoor physical activities;
- increase water and liquid consumption to maintain hydration of the body and airways;
- keep doors and windows closed to reduce the entry of particles from outside into homes;
- In areas where there are fires, use N95, PFF2 or P100 masks, which can reduce the inhalation of particles if used correctly.
Groups of risk
Children under 5 years of age, the elderly and pregnant women should pay extra attention to the recommendations above, as well as people with comorbidities, who should seek medical attention immediately if respiratory symptoms occur.
With information from Government of Sao Paulo.
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