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Anonymous wrote:What about high school graduation? Whitman graduation is tomorrow at 9am at the school
A few hours won't kill you. It won't have any long term impact.
You'll be slightly uncomfortable for a few hours. That's it
This. Seriously. I hope they don't cancel high school graduation for this. People who are concerned can wear a mask. Or stay home and watch a live stream.
People who are graduating can't stay home and watch a live stream.
^^^Neither can faculty or staff who are participating in the graduation ceremony. I don't know what MCPS should do, but I do know that people who say the effects of PM2.5 is "slightly uncomfortable for a few hours" either don't know what they're talking about or are purposely minimizing the problem.
MCPS should encourage
people who are concerned to wear a N95 mask and they should allow schools to hold their graduation ceremonies.
Yeah, but people who aren't concerned will also experience health effects.
MCPS is only responsible for so much of our lives.
True. For example, whether or not to hold an outdoor graduation when the air quality is dangerously bad.
Dramatic much?
It is not dangerously bad for most people. Most people will be fine if they hold graduation. And people who are concerned are welcome to wear masks to make it less dangerous for them.
It may not be
acutely dangerously bad for most people, but PM2.5 is bad for everyone's health.
And, again, should MCPS hold a public event under conditions that are dangerous? If there were a thunderstorm, for example, would people say, "People who are concerned about lightning are welcome to stay at home and watch the live stream"? Your odds of getting hit by lightning are very low after all. Or even if it just rained, which isn't even dangerous. Is the outdoor graduation intended to happen rain or shine?
You are welcome to stay home if you think it is 'dangerous'.
A thunderstorm could actually be acutely bad for people. The current air quality situation is NOT.
Here is an example (but there are many more, just go through the literature) of how any event of elevated fine particular matter increases impose a risk on everyone, even if they don't perceive being affected in the moment:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230405214852.htm
This is kind of unprecedented in this area, but in most communities in the West where fires are more common, there are protocols and clear metrics to follow for cancelling activities.
This is it says on Airnow.gov about the red zone:
“People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:
Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
Keep outdoor activities short.
Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.
Everyone else – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:
Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.
Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
Be active outdoors when air quality is better.”
So cancelling outdoor recess and outdoor sports, where kids will be active, makes sense. Outdoor graduation where folks will not be active? That seems like a tougher call. For the majority, it will probably be fine. Masks are really great for filtering particulates. Now, if we were to push up into the purple or maroon zones, that seems like a clearer case for cancelling because the advice gets more restrictive.
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