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Health effects of haze

The PM2.5 particles in haze are small enough to travel deep into the lungs and cross into the bloodstream. Here is what that does, who is most at risk, and what actually helps.

Right now

408Hazardous / Berbahaya

IPD Serian · (MYT)

Emergency conditions. Everyone should remain indoors. Follow official DOE and health ministry directives.

Check your area's reading →

Who is most at risk

These groups can be affected at exposures a healthy adult would not notice.

  • Children
  • The elderly
  • People with respiratory conditions — asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • People with heart conditions such as coronary artery disease
  • Smokers

Short-term effects

  • Difficulty breathing, chest tightness, chest pain
  • Irritated or dry throat, sore throat, cough with phlegm
  • Runny or blocked nose, frequent sneezing
  • Upper respiratory tract infection
  • Irritated eyes, excessive tearing, conjunctivitis
  • Skin irritation
  • Headache, dizziness, fatigue

These are usually mild and settle once exposure drops.

Long-term effects

  • Raises the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and lowers life expectancy
  • May contribute to the development of diabetes
  • Associated with spontaneous miscarriage, low birth weight, congenital abnormalities and infant mortality

What actually helps

  • Cut outdoor activity, especially strenuous exercise.
  • Wear a mask outdoors. Surgical and cloth masks do not filter PM2.5 — only a well-fitted N95 does.
  • Close windows and doors when the haze is heavy.
  • Use the recirculate setting on air conditioning, including in the car.
  • Run an air purifier indoors if you can.
  • Do not smoke — it adds pollutants to the air indoors.
  • Drink plenty of water, at least eight glasses a day.
  • Wash your hands and face after being outside, and shower often.

Best Air Purifier For Haze 2026

Affiliate links

The haze outside is PM2.5, and shutting your windows does not keep it out. Below: three purifiers people actually buy on Shopee, one per price range, sized for haze from the sellers’ own CADR figures — not lab-tested by us.

How the haze is destroying your health

  • These particles are a Group 1 carcinogen — the class that holds tobacco smoke and asbestos.
  • Selangor haze months: 50 asthma hospital admissions against 23 in clear months.
  • Fine enough to cross from your lungs into your blood — and children take the heaviest dose.

How an air purifier protects your lungs

  • Closed windows still let in 55–60% of the air outside.
  • One HEPA unit in a closed room cuts that by 30–60%, and lowered raised blood pressure in a 2025 trial.
  • A cloth or surgical mask does nothing here. Only a fitted N95, outdoors.
  • Best for bedroomsRussell Taylors Zeta Air Purifier Penapis Udara H13 HEPA UV-C Dis…Russell Taylors MalaysiaRM381from RM65/moFor haze: about 10 m².
    Buy At Shopee

    659 sold on Shopee

    Details
    • HEPA H13 filter · particle CADR 180 m³/h · seller: up to 23 m²
    • H13 traps 99.95% of particles at the hardest size to catch (EN 1822).
    • One bedroom with the door shut. Not an open living-dining area.
  • Best for living roomsXiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite 25-43m² coverage/particle CADR 3…Xiaomi Mi Display Authorized StoreRM539from RM91/moFor haze: about 20 m².
    Buy At Shopee

    5,000+ sold on Shopee

    Details
    • particle CADR 360 m³/h · seller: up to 43 m² · app control · 1-year warranty
    • Covers a main shared space with a single unit.
  • Best for large roomsXiaomi Smart Air Purifier EliteXiaomi Official Store LocalRM1,600from RM270/moFor haze: about 33 m².
    Buy At Shopee

    846 sold on Shopee

    Details
    • particle CADR 600 m³/h · particle sensor · app control
    • The readout shows when it is working — PM2.5 is invisible.
    • Holds an open living-dining area or a genuinely large room.

Haze sizing follows AHAM's smoke rule — a CADR matching the room's full area in sq ft, not the two-thirds used for ordinary dust — worked from the particle CADR in the seller's listing, so it runs generous. Prices are from Shopee at the time of the last update and may have changed. Monthly figures are Shopee SPayLater over 6 months, including its 1.25% processing fee and rounded up. Subject to approval; a RM10 late fee applies.

When to seek treatment

Get medical help promptly for severe breathlessness, chest pain, or symptoms that are getting worse — particularly if you are in one of the risk groups above. This page is general information, not medical advice.

Sources

The clinical content on this page follows guidance published by Gleneagles Hospital Malaysia and the Malaysian Ministry of Health. API readings are from the Department of Environment.