Mad rush for oxygen tanks, air purifiers in haze-choked Southeast Asia

The toxic haze is a thick layer of polluted air created by smoke from wildfires in Indonesia. Winds can carry that smoke across national borders, affecting nearby parts of Southeast Asia. It matters because people breathe the pollution, schools close, and respiratory complaints increase.

The haze has pushed families to seek cleaner indoor air. AA Alive, a medical equipment company outside Kuala Lumpur, reported a 35 per cent sales increase for oxygen equipment. Air-purifier retailers also reported sharp rises as customers tried to reduce pollution inside their homes.

This is not only a short-term inconvenience. Experts warn that prolonged exposure can cause harmful inflammation throughout the body. Juliana Jalaludin, an environmental-health professor, warned that repeated exposure, especially during childhood, could leave future generations with a greater burden of respiratory illness.

The haze has blanketed parts of Southeast Asia, with the article describing effects in Malaysia and Singapore. Outdoor air quality began dipping in August, and the months-long pollution forced schools to close in some places. Residents responded by seeking ways to keep indoor air cleaner.

People already experiencing breathing difficulties were especially affected. Md Noor Bin Bujang, 69, had spent more than a month in hospital and said haze made him short of breath without oxygen equipment. Families also rushed to buy air purifiers as they became more conscious of indoor air quality.

Children are a major concern because repeated exposure during childhood may have lasting consequences. Juliana Jalaludin warned that future generations could face a higher burden of respiratory illnesses. The article also describes respiratory complaints rising generally, while experts call prolonged exposure a multisystem public health threat.

Demand rose sharply because the haze worsened outdoor air and increased concern about breathing indoors. AA Alive, outside Kuala Lumpur, reported a 35 per cent increase in oxygen-equipment sales. The company was working at full capacity and delivering about 40 rental oxygen units each day.

Air purifiers saw an even bigger jump. Courts reported a 600 per cent increase in sales volume from September 28 to October 12 compared with the same period the previous year. Singapore-based Gain City said sales reached nine times the level recorded at the start of the haze season in August.

These figures show how quickly a regional pollution emergency changed household buying and medical-equipment demand. AA Alive said it could meet increased demand because it had experienced haze conditions every year. However, technicians reported that pollution also made concentrator filters need replacement sooner.

These devices address different parts of the haze problem. Oxygen tanks and concentrators provide oxygen directly to patients who have difficulty breathing. Air purifiers instead remove pollutants from indoor air, helping reduce what people inhale before it affects their lungs.

AA Alive supplies both oxygen tanks and concentrators. An oxygen tank can run for about three hours of continuous use. A concentrator can be used for about 24 hours. Md Noor Bin Bujang received a concentrator after more than a month in hospital and said it helped prevent shortness of breath during the haze.

Air purifiers are used by households rather than mainly by patients needing prescribed oxygen support. Retailers said customers bought them to maintain healthier, more comfortable homes. The devices are complementary: purifiers target polluted indoor air, while oxygen equipment supports people whose breathing already requires extra oxygen.

Long-term exposure to haze pollutants can inflame the body and harm respiratory health. Experts in the article describe the situation as a multisystem public health threat, meaning its effects may extend beyond one part of the body. Respiratory complaints have already increased during the haze.

Children are especially important because repeated exposure during childhood may increase their later burden of respiratory illness. Juliana Jalaludin, an environmental-health professor, warned that future generations could experience more respiratory problems if haze and air pollution repeatedly affect them while young.

The immediate protection priority is to reduce exposure. Families are buying air purifiers, while patients are using oxygen tanks or concentrators when they need breathing support. The article does not provide a complete medical treatment plan, but it stresses that reducing exposure now may help protect children’s health and prevent long-term consequences.

An oxygen concentrator draws in surrounding air and filters it while producing oxygen for a patient. When haze adds more pollutants to that air, the filter has more contaminants to capture. That heavier burden can make the filter dirty and reduce how long it remains useful.

Mubassar Khan, an AA Alive technician, said a concentrator filter is normally replaced after 1,000 hours of use. During the haze, pollutants halved its lifespan. The company therefore had to handle more servicing or replacement, alongside rising demand for rental units and oxygen equipment.

The shortened lifespan reveals that polluted outdoor air can affect indoor equipment too. Keeping windows or rooms cleaner does not automatically remove every concern, especially when devices draw in surrounding air. The article links the problem to haze pollutants and shows that indoor air quality had deteriorated enough to increase maintenance needs.

When outdoor air remains polluted, the main goal is to reduce how much smoke people breathe. The article highlights keeping indoor air cleaner, especially as families bought air purifiers during the haze. It also describes oxygen equipment for people whose breathing problems require additional support.

Practical steps include staying indoors when air quality is poor, closing windows and doors where possible, and using a suitable air purifier. People should also reduce strenuous outdoor activity and follow official local health advice. These additional steps are established public-health guidance, but they are not detailed in the article itself.

The article shows why exposure reduction matters. Schools closed, respiratory complaints increased, and experts warned of inflammation and long-term risks, especially for children. Cleaner indoor air can lower exposure, but communities still need public warnings and broader action to reduce smoke from wildfire events.