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I will be going to Malaysia this weekend for a business trip but I heard from News that there are Haze all over Malaysia and Singapore due to the forest burning in Indonesia.

So, beside bringing along a N95 mask, what items should I bring along when going to these places that are hazy?

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  • @MarkMayo Actually this question may look similar to this one - but in reality, that question is more about what actions (or precautions) to take but my question is more about what things to bring, in which user uncovery mention that one should bring along an eye drops.
    – Jack
    Jun 26, 2013 at 8:31
  • Voting to reopen this as not a dupe since the other thread doesn't even mention masks!
    – hippietrail
    Mar 9, 2014 at 8:51
  • Also the questions are not about the same thing. The other questions is about smog as seen in Beijing, coming from different air pollution sources, whereas this is about the haze, which is due to forest fires. I am no expert, but there might be differences in the effects.
    – drat
    Mar 9, 2014 at 17:24

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The only thing you can bring are maybe eye drops, but that really depends on the type of smog and your sensitivity. That will not change the effects of the smog though, only the symptoms.

The issue is that there are so many different types of smog, such as industrial, traffic, fire/smoke etc. Each of them occur in different locations and different height above street level.

So depending on the smog type, there are also different things you can do instead of equipment to have. For example stay away from smog sources (i.e. traffic), finding areas with less smog (in Hong Kong for example the smog in the south-east is much less than in the north-west), not doing any sports etc are things to observe.

Please note also that the effects of the smog are much more an issue for long-term exposure than when spending only a week there. Finally, people do not fall over dead in the street. You will most likely also be the only one with a N95 mask. People rather wear the surgical mask type, if anything at all.

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  • Note that at least for Singapore (as it is mentioned in this article) it is now quite common for people to actually wear the N95 mask instead of the surgical mask. A surgical mask will help a bit with the side-effects of the haze, but it will not help for the actual health risk which are fine particle which can penetrate surgical masks without any problem.
    – drat
    Dec 17, 2015 at 5:09
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I'm not sure if you'd consider it an exact duplicate of this question, so I'll share some of the answers:

Usually when smog / haze / pollution levels are high or dangerous, the authorities release a statement. So if you're concerned, keep an eye or ear out for their announcements.

What to do about it? Well one government, at least, has provided some suggestions. The Ministry of Environment (MoE) in Canada, produced a website on Precautions to take during Smog Alerts. The key points:

  • avoid exertion outdoors
  • replan activities for when smog levels are lower
  • stay away from high traffic areas (exhaust fumes make it worse)
  • stay in a well-ventilated place
  • drink plenty of fluids
  • if you experience any symptoms (shortness of breath, etc) seek medical attention!

These could easily apply to haze-like situations as well.

They also have information on how you can help to reduce levels (on the same page).

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