Air quality in Singapore improved on Thursday (Oct 22), with hourly PM2.5 readings in the normal range in all regions as of 8am. The west was the last region to return to the normal band, at midnight. Hourly readings ranged from 22 to 42.
At 8am, the 24-hour PSI was still unhealthy in western Singapore, at 108. The other four regions were moderate, at 74 to 95. On Monday, three of the five regions had moderate PSI for the first time in more than a week. Before that, the last moderate reading was on Oct 9.
What the readings mean for children and families
- When the 24-hour PSI is unhealthy, as in the west at 8am, NEA advises children, the elderly and pregnant women to minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor exertion.
- The hourly PM2.5 reading, not the 24-hour PSI, is what the public should use to decide on masks and immediate outdoor activities.
- MOH says N95 masks are generally not needed for commuting between home and school or work, or in indoor environments.
Official advice during haze
- Refer to one-hour PM2.5 readings for mask and immediate outdoor activity decisions, as NEA advises.
- Minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor exertion for children when the 24-hour PSI is unhealthy, NEA advises.
- Visit the HazeMaskGoWhere website for mask collection locations and live availability at vending machines, as the report notes.