Health Effects Categories

Air Quality Index (AQI) for BAM-2.5 24-Hour 1
Health Effects Categories
Health Effects
Cautionary Statements
  Hazardous Serious aggravation of heart or lung disease and premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly; serious risk of respiratory effects in the general population. Everyone should avoid any outdoor exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should remain indoors.
  Very Unhealthy Significant aggravation of heart or lung disease and premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly; significant risk of respiratory effects in the general population. People with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should avoid any outdoor activity; everyone else should avoid prolonged exertion.
  Unhealthy Increased aggravation of heart or lung disease and premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly; increased respiratory effects in the general population. People with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should avoid prolonged exertion; everyone else should limit prolonged exertion.
  Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Increasing likelihood of respiratory symptoms in sensitive individuals, aggravation of heart or lung disease and premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly. People with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children should limit prolonged exertion.
  Moderate Possibility of aggravation of heart or lung disease among persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly. None
  Good None None

1 Guideline For Reporting Of Daily Air Quality – Air Quality Index (AQI), EPA-454/R-99-010, July 1999, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711.