Lahore smog: Here’s what you can do to keep yourself safe

With a thick blanket of smog covering Lahore, residents have been forced to take drastic measures as gasp for breath accompanied with sore throats and watery eyes.

Caused predominantly by car fumes, industrial emissions, smoke coming out of hundreds brick kilns around the city, burning of rubbish and crop residue in nearby fields, and dust flying from the building sites, the smog in Lahore has forced Punjab government to announce the closure of all schools today (Thursday) despite earlier paying a deaf ear to the extremely hazardous situation.

Read also: Smog in Lahore turns city's air quality worst in the world

Here's what you can do keep yourself safe during smog in Lahore

• Increase water intake and drink at timely intervals

• Before heading out the door, make sure to cover the face with either a mask or some sort of handkerchief

• In case the eyes begin to burn, it is recommended to splash water on the eyes every hour or so, as well as to gurgle water timely

• In case eyes begin to get inflamed or red, consult a doctor at the earliest

• Do not touch your eyes, mouth or nose with dirty hands

• Make sure to maintain good hygiene, particularly for the hands

• Reduce the amount of cars or bikes used on the road as they are contributing to a rise in air pollution