Ozone is an invisible gas that protects us from solar radiation when we stay at altitude, but which has deleterious effects on health when it is present in too large a quantity in the air we breathe. This secondary pollutant results from the transformation of emissions from vehicles and industry, under the effect of the sun’s rays.
The first high temperatures therefore generated the first peak in ozone pollution. The three prefects of Var, Bouches-du-Rhône and the Maritime Alps have therefore announced, for this Thursday, May 12, the triggering of “level 1 emergency measures”.
Limit movement and physical effort
It is recommended to “limit travel” until 9 p.m. and, if this is not possible, to favor carpooling and public transport.
Another piece of advice, “avoid intense physical exertion, in particular for sensitive people”, that is to say children, the elderly, people with asthma or allergies and those who suffer from respiratory or cardiovascular problems.
The three prefectures of the South of France also invite you not to carry out work and activities requiring the use of solvents, paints or varnishes, which are aggressive and irritating to the respiratory tract.
Ozone and its compounds can cause the appearance of many symptoms such as inflammation of the bronchi, irritation of the throat and eyes, asthma attacks.
