Areas with the Worst Pollution in Jabodetabek, Pregnant Women, Elderly, and Children Should Be Alert

Dream - June 2023 has become a gloomy month for air quality in Indonesia, especially in the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) areas. The sky in various regions throughout this month has been dominated by gray color. However, the gray sky has been confirmed to be not fog, but rather thick pollution.

The Tangerang, South Tangerang (Tangsel), and Depok areas are the most affected areas, with PM2.5 levels exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines by 20 times, reaching 5 ug/m3.

Particulate Matter (PM2.5) is air particles that are smaller than or equal to 2.5 µm (micrometers). PM2.5 concentration measurement uses the Beta Attenuation Monitoring method with the unit of micrograms per cubic meter (µm/m3).

In a post on the Twitter account @nafasidn, it is stated that several regions in Indonesia have experienced a significant decline in air quality in the past few days.

Among the five regions in the DKI Jakarta province, East Jakarta had the highest air pollution levels on June 12 and June 13. This was followed by North Jakarta, South Jakarta, West Jakarta, and finally Central Jakarta.

However, among these five regions, the highest air pollution levels occurred in Bekasi, South Tangerang, and Bogor. Meanwhile, Tangerang and Depok were ranked 5th and 7th.

For areas outside Jabodetabek, the cities of Surabaya and Bandung are classified as having high pollution. Meanwhile, Yogyakarta and Semarang fall into the unhealthy category for sensitive groups, such as the elderly, pregnant women, and babies, who are vulnerable to diseases caused by exposure to dirty air.

The account also explains that the air quality in cities such as Bekasi, South Tangerang, Bogor, Surabaya, and Gresik is very poor. This situation is a serious concern due to its negative impact on the health of the local community.

Here is additional data on PM2.5 levels from yesterday at 8 pm - today at 8 am:

Bekasi, Tangsel, Bogor consistently have poor air quality.
Surabaya, Gresik, and Tangsel have even worse air quality for 12 hours 🥲 pic.twitter.com/iAib2sc85f

— nafas indonesia (@nafasidn) June 13, 2023

6 Tips from an ENT Doctor to Prevent Children from Easily Coughing During Poor Air Quality

Dream - In the past week, the air pollution in Jakarta and its surrounding areas has been unhealthy. According to data from iQair, an air quality technology company, the air pollution level in Jakarta reached 158 AQ US, with a high concentration of PM2.5 pollutants, which means it is unhealthy.

This has made children more susceptible to respiratory problems. Complaints of cough, cold, shortness of breath, and fever have increased more than usual. Muslim Kasim, an ENT specialist, warns parents about this.

"The recent poor air quality, especially in Jakarta and its surrounding areas (which often become the champion of the world's worst air quality), has caused a high number of respiratory tract diseases in children," he said on Instagram @dr.muslimkasim.

To maintain the health of children and protect them from health problems during very poor air quality, there are several important things to do. Dr. Muslim provides 6 important steps that can be taken.

1. Avoid unnecessary outdoor activities

"Air quality changes constantly. It is advisable to avoid outdoor activities, especially when the air quality is poor," he explained.

2. Wear a mask
"When children need to go outside, don't forget to wear a mask," he advised.

Medical or non-medical masks actually provide benefits if used correctly. In conditions of extremely poor air quality, it is highly recommended to use masks such as n95, kn95, or kf94.

3. Air purifier
An air purifier can help improve indoor air quality. It can be placed in the child's room or family room where the child spends most of their time.

4. Complete immunization
This is to ensure optimal protection of the child's immunity. Make sure the child's immunization is complete to prevent infectious diseases.

5. Meet nutritional needs
Parents should provide the child with a complete range of nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Sufficient nutrition will strengthen the child's immune system and make them less prone to illness.

6. Nasal irrigation with Nacl 0.9%
Studies have shown that nasal irrigation significantly reduces the risk of acute respiratory tract infections in children. The solution and equipment can be purchased at a pharmacy.