I. Background.

A.) During the Southeast Asian Haze of 1997, the concentration of air
pollutants rose from 50 micrograms per cubic meter to an alarming 150
micrograms per cubic meter. This scenario is also most likely to occur in the
Southeast Asian Haze that is happening today. (Ho, Health Effects of Haze
(and How You Can Protect Yourself).)
B.) This scenario may cause a 12% increase in cases of upper respiratory
track illness, 26% for nasal inflammation cases, and 19% for asthma cases.
(Ho, Health Effects of Haze (and How You Can Protect Yourself).)
C.) It is found that over 94% of the particles carried by the haze are below 2.5
micrometers in size. Because of this, it can stay suspended in the atmosphere
for a longer period of time and can spread out to larger areas due to the
prevailing wind system. (Ho, Health Effects of Haze (and How You Can
Protect Yourself).)
II. Other Health Issues caused by the Haze.
A.) The harmful particles and pollutants carried by the haze can irritate the
eyes, can cause excessive watering, conjunctivitis, and other inflammatory
diseases in the eye. (Ho, Health Effects of Haze (and How You Can Protect
Yourself).)
B.) It can also cause the irritation of the nasal track, which in turn can caused
excessive production of mucus. It can also result to running nose and
excessive sneezing. (Ho, Health Effects of Haze (and How You Can Protect
Yourself).)
C.) It can also cause irritation to the upper respiratory track such as the
throat and larynx. This will result to the production of excessive mucus that
can block the air passages leading to the lungs. It can also cause problems
like sore throat and excessive coughing. (Ho, Health Effects of Haze (and
How You Can Protect Yourself).)
D.) When the particles enter the lungs, it can cause asthma-like symptoms,
bronchitis, inflammation and scarring of the lung tissues. It can also cause
permanent cardiovascular damage. (Ho, Health Effects of Haze (and How
You Can Protect Yourself).)
C.) The particles, being very tiny, can enter the blood stream through the
lungs and can be absorbed by other tissues or organs. This can cause
inflammation to other organs in the body. The carcinogenic nature of these
pollutants can also increase the risk of cancer. It can also weaken the bodys
immune system. (Ho, Health Effects of Haze (and How You Can Protect
Yourself).)

D.) The pollutants carried by the haze can contaminate the water supply.
These contaminated water can cause diarrhea if consumed. (Ho, Health
Effects of Haze (and How You Can Protect Yourself).)
E.) Due to the toxic nature of these particles, it can also cause varying
psychosomatic disorders, such as depression-like symptoms, insomnia,
anxiety, feeling of helplessness, stress, irritability, and loss of interest in usual
day-to-day work. It may also cause unusually painful and frequent
headaches, fatigue, and dizziness. (Ho, Health Effects of Haze (and How You
Can Protect Yourself).)

III. Medical Treatment and Prevention.

A.) Health specialists from affected countries use traditional medical
procedures to cure haze-related diseases. These include the use of traditional
antibiotics and medications that can boost the victims immune system. (Ho,
Health Effects of Haze (and How You Can Protect Yourself).; Chew, Sick of
the haze.)
B.) Focus is mostly in the prevention of these diseases.
1.) Stay indoors as much as possible. Close all of the windows and
other openings. (Ho, Health Effects of Haze (and How You Can Protect
Yourself).)
2.) Use air purifiers to filter fine particles in the air. Air conditioners are
also recommended. It is also advised that filters from these machines
should be cleaned regularly in order for them to work efficiently and to
prevent the build-up of particles in the filters. (Ho, Health Effects of
Haze (and How You Can Protect Yourself).)
3.) Drink plenty of water, fruits and vegetables. It is also advised that
people should take food supplements containing vitamins and minerals
to boost their immune system. Essential vitamins like A, B, C, D, and E
are essential, including the minerals zinc and iron. Omega-3 and fatty
acids are also useful since they have anti-inflammatory properties. (Ho,
Health Effects of Haze (and How You Can Protect Yourself).; Chew,
Sick of the haze.)
4.) The use of face masks that can block particles of size 2.5
micrometers or smaller is also recommended when you need to go
outside. People with pre-existing respiratory diseases, such as asthma,
are recommended to bring their inhaler and other medications at all

times when going out. (Ho, Health Effects of Haze (and How You Can
Protect Yourself).)
IV. Early warning systems
A.) The use of weather and observation satellites are useful in prediction the
movement of the haze across time. Satellite images are used for the
prediction of haze hotspots. Daily photographs from these satellites can track
the movement of the haze. An example of the satellite used was the NOAA-18
weather satellite. (Haze Action Online; Hotspot and Satellite Images.)
B.) Simulations and mathematical modeling of prevailing wind systems are
also useful in predicting the movement of the haze. (Haze Action Online)

Sources:
Chew, Joan. Sick of the haze. Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Web. 19 November 2015.
<https://www.ttsh.com.sg/about-us/newsroom/news/article.aspx?id=5206>.
Ho, Wee Peng. Health Effects of Haze (and How You Can Protect Yourself). Bliss Air.
Web. 25 November 2015. < http://blissair.com/health-effects-of-haze.htm>.
N.P. Haze Action Online. ASEAN. Web. 25 November 2015. <
http://haze.asean.org/>.
N.P. Hotspot and Satellite Images. National Environment Agency. Web. 25
November 2015. < http://www.nea.gov.sg/anti-pollution-radiationprotection/air-pollution-control/psi/hotspot-and-satellite-images>.