Air Quality Index
The Air Quality Index tells you when high levels of air pollution are predicted/present and how air pollution affects your health.
Who needs to be concerned when air quality reaches these levels?
- Code Yellow: Some people who may be unusually sensitive to particle pollution.
- Code Orange: Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teenagers, minority populations, and outdoor workers.
- Code Red: Everyone
- Code Purple: Everyone
- Code Maroon: Everyone
Get the latest county air quality conditions, forecasts, maps and email alerts from AirNow.gov.
10 Air Quality Safety Tips
- Avoid intense outdoor activities.
- Move activities indoors or reschedule when possible.
- Keep outdoor time short and take frequent breaks.
- Use air conditioners or air purifiers and replace filters regularly.
- Keep windows and doors closed, however...
- If you don't have an air conditioner, staying inside with the windows closed may be dangerous in extremely hot weather. If you are hot, go someplace with air conditioning, visit a cooling center or use other ways to cool down.
- Ensure inhalers or oxygen are accessible and working.
- Seek immediate medical care for trouble breathing, chest tightness or irregular heartbeat.
- If you have a lung condition, consider wearing a well‑fitting mask outside.
- Outdoor workers and their employers should work together to adjust outdoor work schedules and arrange frequent breaks as needed.
Ozone Pollution
Let's say that the ozone level in the county is predicted to be Code Orange. If you're a runner (even if you're healthy) that air quality could hurt you. Plan your run for when ozone levels will be lower, shorten your run or walk instead, or run on a treadmill indoors.
Particle Pollution
Particle pollution has been linked to heart attacks and strokes, and even death in people with heart disease. On a day when particle pollution will be at Code Orange or higher, do something less intense. Walk instead of run or do only lighter outdoor work.
Fire/Smoke Pollution
The whole county may be impacted by wildfire smoke from neighboring states or countries. Smaller areas of the county could see poor air quality due to large local fires or mulch fires. Everyone in affected areas should reduce their exposure to any source of smoke.
According to our Health Department, poor air quality can cause:
- More severe or frequent allergy symptoms, such as red or itchy eyes, congestion, scratchy throat, sneezing, headaches, and fatigue
- Worse or more frequent asthma attacks
- Worsening of respiratory illness, heart disease, kidney disease, and other conditions
- Higher risk of new health issues, like heart attacks, asthma, allergies, and raised blood pressure
Everyone can be affected by poor air quality, but some groups are more at risk than others.
- Older adults, children and people who are pregnant, because they can be more affected by air pollution, pollen, wildfire smoke, and other environmental conditions.
- People with medical conditions, such as heart disease, respiratory disease, or asthma, because poor air quality can worsen health conditions and increase strain on the body.
- People who work or exercise outside, such as construction workers, landscapers, emergency responders, and student athletes, because they often perform strenuous activity while outdoors.
- People of color, due to higher rates of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart disease, and higher chance of living in areas with heavy pollution.
- Socially or economically disadvantaged communities, because they are more likely to lack access to quality housing, transportation, and affordable healthcare, and are often located in areas with more pollution.
- People experiencing homelessness, due to amount of time spent outside and lower access to affordable healthcare.
Protect your health from poor air quality by taking the following actions:
1. Reduce your exposure when air quality is poor:
- Stay inside as much as possible and keep windows and doors closed.
- When outside, choose shorter or less intense activities and take more breaks.
- When driving, use your car’s air recirculation mode to keep pollution and allergens outside.
2. Make an emergency plan:
- Keep a month’s supply of important medicines, especially if you have asthma, allergies, or a lung disease such as COPD.
- Make sure prescribed breathing aids, such as inhalers, oxygen, and CPAP/BiPAP, are accessible and working correctly.
- Keep an updated list of medications, dosages, allergies, and medical conditions for each member of your household.
3. Protect your home to keep indoor air clean:
- If your home has an HVAC system, use high-efficiency filters and change them regularly.
- If you don’t have an HVAC system, consider portable air purifiers or box fans to help filter and keep air circulating.
- Use caulk to seal cracks around windows and doors to limit pollution from getting in.
4. Seek medical care:
- Talk to your doctor about medications and treatment options for your health conditions so you can be prepared year-round.
- Get medical care right away for urgent symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest tightness, or heart palpitations.
5. Stay informed:
- Check your local air quality at www.AirNow.gov and learn what the different colors mean.
- Keep an eye on local pollen and heat forecasts using a weather app or trusted news source.
- Sign up for emergency alerts with Fairfax Alerts.