The Air Quality Index (AQI) reports levels of ozone and other common air pollutants. The higher the AQI rating for a pollutant, the greater the danger. The AQI is divided into several categories. Each category describes health effects for a particular level of air pollution. Information about ozone health effects and how to avoid exposure for each category is listed below.
Air Quality Index (AQI) Categories
Members of sensitive groups are likely to experience severe symptoms and impaired breathing. The general public is likely to experience increasingly severe respiratory effects.
Everyone should avoid all outdoor exertion.
Increasingly severe symptoms and impaired breathing likely in active children and adults and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma; increasing likelihood of respiratory effects in general population.
Active children and adults and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion.
Greater likelihood of respiratory symptoms and breathing difficulty in active children and adults and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma; possible respiratory effects in general population.
Active children and adults and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
Increasing likelihood of respiratory symptoms and breathing discomfort in active children and adults and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma.
Active children and adults and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
Unusually sensitive individuals may experience respiratory symptoms and should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. None
