India, Oct. 30 -- During the festive season, air quality can deteriorate significantly due to firecrackers, vehicular emissions, construction dust and other pollutants, and the effects are felt by many in the form of respiratory issues.

Respiratory and sleep medicine expert Dr Mrinal Sircar shared with HT Lifestyle, "As winter sets in, low wind speeds and temperature inversion can trap these pollutants closer to the ground, increasing the duration of exposure."

He cautioned that this combination can be particularly harmful for children, older adults, and people living with asthma or other respiratory conditions. He went on to elaborate on the effects of the same on vulnerable groups, as follows.

According to Dr Sircar, children are mor...