Peak Asthma body calls for real-time air quality monitoring amid bushfire disaster
Asthma cases are skyrocketing, medication has been in short supply in some areas, and that could be just the start of the long term health consequences of the worst fire season in Australian history.
Central Coast
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The long-term effects of prolonged exposure to dangerous levels of bushfire smoke may not be known for years.
It comes as some bushfire affected areas of NSW have experienced shortages of ventolin with potentially deadly asthma attacks skyrocketing among sufferers including those whose symptoms have previously been well managed.
Unprecedented levels of bushfire smoke has prompted the country’s peak advocacy group to call for immediate real-time air quality reporting, with pollutant levels reaching 11 times higher than considered hazardous by the World Health Organisation.
Asthma Australia has issued a statement urging all states and territories to adopt a consistent, real-time approach to monitoring “high concentrations of very fine particulate matter” known as PM2.5 and PM10, which directly enter the bloodstream via the lungs causing “systemic effects on respiratory, cardiovascular systems and other organs”.
An Asthma Australia spokeswoman confirmed “there has been supply issues (of ventolin) in fire devastated areas” and that people with otherwise “really well managed” asthma were suffering exacerbated attacks because of the high concentration of smoke in the air.
“We know people are definitely experiencing worse asthma,” she said.
“It’s a really horrible situation. It’s causing issues that we don’t know what the long term problems are going to be.”
Asthma Australia said the current health standards dictated a 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10 reporting.
“This public health emergency has highlighted the inadequacy of this standard and brings to light the need for real-time reporting,” Asthma Australia said in a statement issued yesterday.
“People in high stakes health categories cannot rely on data that is not a reflection of current conditions.
“For organisations trying to gauge whether it is safe for outdoor workers to continue working, real-time data would empower them to make the right decisions to protect the health and wellbeing of their employees.
“For the many sporting associations across the country, real-time data would empower them to plan whether to proceed with or postpone training sessions and competitions.”
Meanwhile pharmacists have been granted special leave to supply restricted medicines in bushfire affected areas without a prescription.
The amnesty, granted by the NSW Chief Health Officer until March 31, allows pharmacists to supply Schedule 4 medication without a prescription if the medicine has previously been prescribed, to continue current essential treatment and it where it is impracticable to obtain a prescription.
Pharmacies in bushfire areas are also expected to receive supplies of P2 masks within the next two days, which will be provided free to residents in those communities.