Dr. Giles said a good place to start is checking thefor your area. This index is a scale from 1 to 10+ that provides an indicator of the health risk related to air quality and can be found on the Environment Canada website or provincial environment ministry sites. Alternatively, she suggests setting up Canada’sShould you exercise when air quality is poor?
Pay attention to your exposure throughout the course of the day, and try to reduce it by, for example, keeping your windows closed and using a HEPA filter if you have the means, Dr. Giles said. Dr. Giles suggests you could also use a furnace filter with a higher MERV rating, such as 12 or 13, and keep your furnace fan running. Another option, she said, is wearing an N95 respirator if you are running errands or exercising wherever air quality is poor.