In many parts of the country, summer has the worst air quality of any season. When the forecast says it’s a code red day for air quality, what does it mean for your health? If you’ve planned a picnic, a bike ride or even a walk with a friend, should you change your plans?
“The answer depends on a lot of factors. There’s no simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer for everyone,” says Dr. Darryl Zeldin, acting clinical director of environmental health sciences at NIH. He and other NIH-supported researchers have been studying how substances in the air can affect health. Knowing more about air quality and air alerts will help you make smart decisions about spending time outside this summer.
