1) How does haze affect your health? 

In the short-term, haze may cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat in healthy individuals.
The heart and lungs are particularly affected by particles in haze, raising risks for those with
heart or lung conditions.

It may take between one and three days for the effects or symptoms of haze to be felt.

Short-term adverse effects of exposure to haze:

Eye irritation, watering eyes, and/or conjunctivitis (a type of eye inflammation).

Running nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, and/or post-nasal drip.
Throat irritation, dry throat, sore throat and/or coughing, phlegm.
Headache, dizziness, fatigue and/or stress.
Decreased lung function, depressed respiratory immune defenses, chest tightness, chest
pain, shortness of breath, bronchitis (lung inflammation).

As for long-term effects of haze, there is not much data available. After all, haze usually does
not affect a particular geographic location throughout the year.

But according to some studies, continuous exposure to haze will raise the risk of
cardiovascular effects, reduced lung development and the development of chronic respiratory
diseases in kids.
The long-term risks associated with exposure to fine particles:
 Faster rate of thickening of the arteries compared to others, promoting the development
of vascular diseases.
Increases the risk of death by cardiovascular disease and reduces life expectancy by
several months to a few years.
May contribute to the development of diabetes.
Spontaneous abortion, under-weight infants, birth defects and infant death.

2) How does the haze affect vulnerable groups?

In general, everyone - even those without any health conditions will be affected by the haze.
However, two vulnerable groups that will be greatly affected are babies and the elderly due to
their physical condition. 

Babies:

Babies, especially newborns, are at a higher health risk during the haze period because
their respiratory system is susceptible to the poor air quality. Babies could develop
asthma or bronchitis if their respiratory system is affected. 
For babies who generally have good health condition, the haze might irritate the baby’s
nose, throat, airways, skin, eyes and develop skin rashes.
Fine particles found in the haze can penetrate deep into the baby’s lungs if air quality
reaches critical levels.

The elderly:

The elderly are greatly affected by the haze as their lungs tend to be weaker.
They may experience serious sneezing and coughing conditions.
Those with medical conditions such chronic and lung diseases will be affected greatly
once the haze reaches critical levels.

3) General measures at the workplace

Inform the management if you are suffering from any heart or respiratory diseases.
Take your medication regularly if suffering from an existing disease, especially heart and
respiratory diseases.
Drink more water and increase the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. This helps the
body to flush out toxins absorbed through the skin and lungs, and improve the immune
system.
Cut down on alcohol and coffee. These promote fluid and nutrient loss from the body.
Avoid smoking
Wear a suitable mask, like the N95 mask, or respirator when you go outside.

4) What safety measure can I take at home?

Close all windows, doors and any openings that may allow haze to enter your home. Turn
on the air conditioner if available. Ensure adequate ventilation in the closed room.
Ensure maintenance of the air conditioner with regular cleaning and servicing. Fine
particles can enter an air-conditioned home through the fresh air intake and by