DUST WARNING - DOCTORS URGE CAUTION AS TOXIC PARTICLES BYPASS LUNG DEFENCES - in-cyprus 16/4 by Marilena Panayi
Cyprus doctors are urging residents to limit unnecessary time outdoors as dust episodes continue across the island, warning that the particles carried in the air are too small for the body’s own filtering mechanisms to stop.
Charis Armeftis, President of the Cyprus Pulmonology Society, told Phileleftheros that dust brings with it a cocktail of toxic microparticles, bacteria and microbes. The most dangerous, he said, are so minute that they pass straight through the lungs’ filtering defences and enter the lung tissue directly.
“When there is dust in the atmosphere, everything it carries comes with it,” Armeftis said.
Those at greatest risk are people with chronic respiratory conditions, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary fibrosis, as well as those with cardiovascular disease.
International studies have shown increased hospital admissions and deaths during periods of high atmospheric dust, Armeftis said.
A person with bronchial asthma who is not properly managed could develop serious complications during such episodes and, in severe cases, face life-threatening risk, he warned.
Armeftis said dust episodes in Cyprus have been growing more frequent and longer in duration year on year. The island has been affected for several weeks, and forecasts point to further episodes in the coming days.
Doctors are also warning that surgical masks offer no protection. Only high-protection masks are effective against the microparticles dust carries, Armeftis said.
The Cyprus Pulmonology Society plans to push for legislation after the parliamentary elections, once parliament resumes sitting, that would restrict citizens’ exposure to high dust levels. Armeftis said he hoped the Health Ministry, the Labour Ministry and parliament would respond positively.
Spring allergies compound the picture. April and the first half of May are peak season for seasonal allergies, with olive tree pollen particularly prevalent in Cyprus during this period and grass pollen rising from early May.
According to the World Health Organisation, up to 30% of adults experience some form of allergic rhinitis, with symptoms peaking during flowering season.
Armeftis advised anyone experiencing symptoms to contact their doctor rather than attempt self-management. He also cautioned patients already on treatment, particularly those with asthma, against stopping their medication when they feel better.
Continuous treatment and regular communication with a doctor remain essential, he said.
