Move classes online when API hits 100, say health experts
Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh says children should be kept indoors when it gets exceedingly hazy instead of relying on masks for protection.
Health experts have suggested closing schools and moving classes online when the air pollutant index (API) reading surpasses 100, instead of merely requiring children to wear surgical masks. Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia contends that children should wait for improved air quality before resuming in-person education, given their less mature lungs and heightened vulnerability to haze impacts.
She advises against organizing outdoor activities, even at API readings below 100, as children's lungs may not yet be fully developed. Experts stress the importance of classroom air quality and proper window ventilation, as simply sealing classrooms could pose risks. While surgical masks offer minimal protection against haze particles, experts argue that N95 respirators provide better defense but may be uncomfortable for children.
The education ministry currently mandates outdoor activity suspension at API readings above 100, but school closures only occur when readings exceed 200.
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