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Does air-con keep you safe from haze? What we might be getting wrong about haze safety

October 20, 2026 · 27 min

Show notes

With Singapore shrouded in unhealthy levels of haze for weeks – and authorities warning of worse conditions before they improve – how can we protect our health? If an air purifier isn’t an option, what hacks can help you minimise exposure and does staying in an air-conditioned place really help? In this week’s Deep Dive, Steven Chia and Tiffany Ang speak with urban air quality expert Professor Rajasekhar Balasubramanian, of the National University of Singapore, on the Internet’s burning questions such as: why can’t haze forecasting be more reliable? Which air quality indicators should I pay attention to? Will just any air purifier do? What happens to my body if I’m out jogging in the haze? And which is more toxic – haze or cigarettes?

More from Deep Dive on the haze - What Singapore is doing differently to pursue companies behind this year’s fires: https://cna.asia/3WC8Olx 

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