AIR pollution is likely to be the driving force behind an anticipated spike in the number of Islanders with asthma, according to health professionals.
More than 5,000 people in Jersey were on the Island’s asthma register in 2016 – a figure projected to increase by 25% by 2036.
As part of World Asthma Day yesterday, Health and Community Services’ respiratory specialist nurse team visited the Town Church hall to provide information to Islanders about how to manage the condition, which affects one in 12 adults, and keep themselves out of hospital. Sufferers can experience coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.
Respiratory nurse specialist Elisabete Da Silva explained that the condition had many causes. Those with a family history of asthma can be at greater risk, and a person’s workplace or home environment can also be a contributing factor.
However, Ms Da Silva said that the anticipated rise in the number of Islanders with the condition would ‘mainly’ be driven by pollution.
‘The world is changing and that is affecting our lungs.
‘One of the things we ask people to avoid when their asthma is not well is busy roads, places where there is a lot of smoke and dust,’ she said.
On Friday, the States Assembly backed a government plan to help the Island become carbon neutral by 2030 – and align with a longer-term global target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 – which included policies banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and small vans from 2030.
Respiratory nurse specialist Karen Hughes said: ‘I think all the green initiatives that they are taking – tree planting, converting to non-diesel and non-petrol cars – has got to be a good thing for everybody. Even if you don’t suffer from asthma you can feel wheezy and tight-chested if you are behind someone who is driving a smelly old diesel car that’s spilling out fumes. It’s a no brainer – everybody wants good air quality.’
St Brelade Constable Mike Jackson recently secured £250,000 in the Government Plan to provide air-quality monitoring around the Island, after raising concerns about air quality around schools due to cars keeping their engines running at drop-off and pick-up times. A written States question tabled by Deputy Rob Ward revealed in October that just two of the 46 monitoring devices deployed at schools worked.
Ms Hughes added that, especially in the wake of the pandemic, it was also important to encourage Islanders to stay physically active.
‘People have been stuck away in their houses for so long without any kind of exercise and [have been] so terrified to go out and mix. We really need to be encouraging people to get out now and get themselves back on the social scene – and exposed to some normal viruses.
‘We need to have people getting the regular common colds and other chest illnesses that they would have normally, to build their resistance,’ she said.
Respiratory nurse specialist Harriet Holden said: ‘We’ve had quite a steady stream of people coming in this morning, so it’s really good to have people who are happy to ask us questions and find out a bit more.’
She added: ‘It’s all about awareness.
‘It’s quite difficult for us to screen people and diagnose in this kind of setting, so it’s really just about making people aware of what’s going on and encouraging them to see their GP if there’s anything we think they should get checked out.’
