masks are back in the city

A gray blanket envelops New York. Smoke and ashes from the fires raged in Canada they reached the Big Apple and much of the northeastern US United States, obscuring the sun and making the air unbreathable. The masks, abandoned in the post-pandemic, have reappeared in the streets among residents trying to protect their noses and throats from irritation. Schools have suspended outdoor activities to protect children. Mayor Eric Adams has issued a call to stay indoors. “Limit your exposure. This is not a good day to train for a marathon,” he said.

All events for World Running Day have been cancelled The New York Road Runner, the association that organizes the New York marathon, has canceled all the events scheduled for the world running day due to the blanket of ash and smoke that envelops the city and which makes the air quality the worst since 1960. According to the IQAir World Quality Index, New York is the second most polluted in the world after only New Delhi. Also in the top five is Detroit, the capital of the American car which is located right on the border with Canada.

Air quality alert for 100 million Americans But it is the entire northeastern United States that is affected by the smoke and ashes arriving from Canada with 110 million Americans grappling with various types of alerts on air quality, which has worsened in the last few hours. In Philadelphia, health authorities have urged citizens to “avoid excessive physical activity outdoors and, if possible, to use a mask”. Charlotte, North Carolina has the worst air quality since 2016. And while millions of Americans are breathing hard, Canadians are even worse. Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa are the cities that are paying the highest price for the hundreds of fires that are burning the country, with the situation not set to improve anytime soon.

Possible worsening in the next few days The meteorological service has in fact warned of a possible worsening in the coming days. Those most at risk are the elderly, children and pregnant women. Hence the exhortation to stay indoors to avoid respiratory problems and excessive crowding of hospitals which, in recent days, have already recorded a record increase in requests for help due to intoxication. A total of 110 million Americans are in the grip of smoke and ash, grappling with alertness.