Health concerns grow as pollution upends daily life
JOHOR BARU: The prolonged haze has affected the lives of many here, with some having to give up spending time outdoors while others have been forced to abandon their normal exercise routines.
School management assistant Aisha Mohd Yusof, 39, is among those who had to curb their daily routines.
“My eldest child, who is 13, has asthma, so I was quite worried about the haze. Thankfully, she has been doing fine so far.
“We used to spend our weekends going out as a family, including visiting parks and other outdoor places, but we have stopped for now.
“If we need to go out, we head to a shopping mall or other indoor places,” she said.
However, Aisha said the implementation of home-based teaching and learning has been a silver lining, as the school closures have allowed her to work from home and spend more time with her two children.
“However, having them cooped up at home all day is not healthy either, especially since they cannot go outside to play or enjoy outdoor activities,” she added.
Businessman Wilson Tan, 37, said the haze has affected many aspects of his daily routine, including household chores and exercise.
“I enjoy running to relieve stress, but because of the haze, I have had to give up my usual outdoor runs.
“Although I can still run indoors at a gym using a treadmill, it is just not the same as I love looking at the greenery when I run and feeling the cool air,” he said, adding that he also missed opening his windows to enjoy fresh air.
He added that the sudden announcement of school closures had forced him to scramble to accommodate his two children.
“It caused quite a bit of chaos, as we had to make last-minute arrangements, but I think it is better than having them go to school and risk falling sick.
“Even if schools had remained open, I would not have allowed my children to attend classes because of the haze,” he said.
R. Janaki, 42, who runs a stall selling traditional Indian delicacies in Kulai, said the prolonged haze has begun taking a toll on her health.
“The haze has been getting pretty bad, and I see many people getting sick these days, and even I have been coughing on and off.
“So far my business has not been affected much despite operating in an open-air setting, and I am still seeing customers coming as usual,” said the mother of two.
