Frank LoVecchio said the dust storm in Phoenix, Arizona is not a major concern for most healthy people, but the haze it left over the Phoenix Valley on Tuesday is a real risk for vulnerable groups. He said people with lung disease, heart disease, the very young, the very old and those who are immunosuppressed should stay inside as much as possible.
LoVecchio, an emergency room physician and ASU professor, said the dust can trigger asthma, strain the heart and send more people to the emergency room. For people who cannot avoid going outdoors, he recommended an N-95 mask.
JoAnna Strother on dust particles
JoAnna Strother of the American Lung Association said dust particles often carry trapped allergens such as mold spores and pollutants that can trigger allergic reactions. She also said the dust can carry fungal spores that can cause Valley Fever, adding another health concern for people already at higher risk.
Encanto Park on Tuesday
At Encanto Park, families and regulars were outside Tuesday despite the haze. Erenzo Scroggins brought his daughter there to feed the ducks on the last day before school, and Terry Jones said he fishes at Encanto for an hour or more most days.
Jones said he does not stay out more than an hour and then spends the rest of the day inside. That routine matches the advice for sensitive groups: limit time outdoors, and use an N-95 when going out cannot wait.
