AIIMS Neurologist Shares 5 Tips To Stay Safe As Delhi-NCR AQI Slips To 'Severe' Category

Each year, once the festive season winds down and winter sets in, the air across North India, especially Delhi, turns grey and suffocating. Agree? While escaping the smog (a mix of smoke and fog) is nearly impossible, its effects on the lungs and immune system are undeniable.

Worsening air quality is nothing new, but we can still take steps to protect ourselves and our families. AIIMS neurologist Dr Rahul Chawla shared a video on Instagram comparing the current Air Quality Index (AQI) of Beijing and Delhi – both now ranging from moderate to poor.

He wrote in the caption, “While Beijing's AQI dropped from 754 (2013) to just 47 (2025) after strict climate action, Delhi's air is getting worse every winter. Schools are shutting, visibility is zero, and people are literally breathing poison. Delhi is converting into a gas chamber! If lockdowns were for COVID, maybe the next one will be for air pollution.”

How To Stay Safe?

Dr Rahul Chawla shared five effective ways to protect yourself and your family from the toxic smog in Delhi-NCR:

1. Stay Indoors As Much As Possible:

When pollution levels rise, your home becomes your best filter. He said, “Keep the windows and doors of your house closed all the time. You can open the windows and doors only during the day (like from 1 to 3 PM) when you feel that the sun has risen well. So that the ventilation of the house is good.”

2. Wipe Furniture With A Damp Cloth:

The neurologist suggested, “Try to clean the house with a wet cloth. Do not dust it so that the dust particles do not fly in the air.” He also advised avoiding activities that generate smoke indoors – such as burning incense sticks, candles, camphor, or other items – as these worsen air quality.

3. Use N95 Masks Outdoors:

He mentioned, “If you are going out of the house, use the N95 mask,” adding, “If there are elderly people in the house, you should not allow them to go for morning and evening walks. And if there are children, do not send them to play in the park.”

To stay fit, Dr Chawla recommended simple indoor workouts, saying, “Do exercises at home. You can go up and down stairs. You can do yoga. If there is a treadmill or a cycle at home, you can exercise with it. You can do weight lifting.”

4. Keep Air Purifiers And Indoor Plants:

“If you can afford an air purifier, then buy it. But remember that the air purifier you are buying should be appropriate to the size of your room,” he stated.

5. Escape The Smog, If You Can:

Dr Chawla highlighted the importance of working from home on high-pollution days, noting that inhaling harmful gases during commutes can be dangerous. “If you work in corporate offices and your company allows it, then work from home,” he said.

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A post shared by Rahul Chawla (@docrahulchawla)

The neurologist concluded the video by saying, “If you can afford it and your profession allows work from home, then go away from the toxic air of Delhi for a few weeks. Because this is not a city, it has become a gas chamber.”