Air Quality Advisory Issued For Long Island Due To Ozone

LONG ISLAND — Health officials have issued an air quality advisory for Thursday across Long Island due to high levels of ozone. The advisory goes into effect at 11 a.m. Thursday and ends at 11 p.m., the state Department of Environmental Conservation announced.

An air quality index reading, which forecasts how polluted the air is or will become, pegged Long Island at 101 on Thursday, meaning the air will be unhealthy for those sensitive to ozone.

Active children and adults, as well as people with lung disease — such as asthma — should not stay outdoors for prolonged periods of time and avoid strenuous activities, the Environmental Protection Agency warns.

Breathing in ground-level ozone can be harmful to your health, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention writes on its website. Ozone has been linked to coughing and pain when taking a deep breath, lung and throat irritation as well as wheezing and trouble breathing during exercise or outdoor activities.

Dangerous levels of ozone can impact anyone. To keep safe during periods of high levels of ozone, the CDC advises people to spend more time inside and choose easier outdoor activities (walking instead of running).