Nguyen Phuong Linh vacuums her house in Hanoi twice a day and uses a clothes dryer to filter dust particles ever since air quality deteriorated to “very unhealthy” levels.

According to Linh, even the healthiest members of her family feel tired and uncomfortable due to the bad air quality. They suffer from nasal and throat inflammation despite wearing two layers of masks when going outside.

“After every trip outside, our clothes reek of smoke and dust, and our noses, ears, and faces are covered in grime,” she says.

To minimize health risks, Linh frequently cleans mattresses, sheets, pillows, and blankets using a vacuum cleaner. Her family even moved from the city center to the suburbs to escape the pollution.

The vacuum cleaner in Nguyen Phuong Linh’s house in Hanoi collects a lot of dirt every day despite regular cleaning. Photo courtesy of Linh

One of Linh’s friends relocated to their hometown in Lang Son in the north of Vietnam due to persistent sinusitis that would not heal. Over the phone, the friend says how they feel “lighter” because the countryside air is fresh and soothing.

The media has been constantly warning about air pollution in major cities. Hanoi’s air quality has recently been classified as “bad” by the Department of Environmental Pollution Control.

In HCMC, the quality ranges from “poor” to “moderate.”

In Thu Duc City in HCMC, Phan Han, 38, and her husband do all kinds of things to maintain clean air at home. They keep their windows shut, run air purifiers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and clean household items such as mattresses, sheets and pillows every week. When they go out, they try to use cars or public transport as much as possible. Han also instructs her children to stay indoors during school breaks.

She explains that her family members have been getting sick frequently ever since their house was surrounded by construction sites producing large volumes of dust. Her eight-year-old daughter has suffered acute nasal and throat inflammation and a fever of over 38 degrees Celsius on three occasions, requiring visits to hospitals.

Han and her husband have also experienced recurring bouts of coughing, runny noses, headaches, and body aches two to three times a month. These symptoms disappear for a few days only to reappear shortly afterward.

The cycle of illness and increased expenses on medical check-ups and treatments consumes nearly an entire month’s salary.

Furthermore, when their daughter falls ill, Han or her husband have to take leave to care for her even as the busy run-up to the Lunar New Year approaches.

Air pollution in major cities like Hanoi and HCMC has been worsening relentlessly over the past decade. In the capital, it typically peaks two times a day: 6–8 a.m. and 5–7 p.m.

Rural areas in the north tend to have higher pollution levels compared to anywhere else in Vietnam, according to the 2023 National Environmental Report.

A resident in Hanoi wears masks when traveling outdoors. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

In Hanoi, major sources of air pollution include traffic, including dust from roads, industrial activities, residential emissions, biomass burning, and agricultural practices. Vehicle emissions are the biggest contributor followed by industrial production and burning of agricultural by-products.

Though the city has implemented plans to improve air quality, such as virtually eliminating coal stoves, reducing straw burning in suburban areas by 80% and phasing out traditional brick kilns, pollution remains a big problem.

The government is currently developing a plan to tackle urban air pollution. Between September and November 2024 government agencies introduced various measures to reduce pollution. The Ministry of Transport for instance drafted regulations on emission standards for imported and domestically assembled vehicles.

While waiting for effective pollution control measures, Dr. Bach Thi Chinh at the VNVC Vaccination Center advises people to adopt certain practices to safeguard their health. These include wearing masks and regularly cleaning their homes and living environments. Families are encouraged to limit or replace coal and wood stoves with electric, induction or gas stoves.

During periods of severe pollution, families living near places with heavy traffic and in polluted areas should avoid opening windows and doors. People should use saline solution to clean their noses and gargle in the morning and evening, especially after going outdoors, and rinse their eyes with it before bedtime.

Vulnerable groups such as seniors, children and pregnant women should monitor their health closely and seek medical attention if acute symptoms like breathing difficulty, coughing or fever occur.

Vaccination for influenza, pneumococcus, measles, pertussis, diphtheria, chickenpox, and meningococcal disease is also an effective way to enhance health and reduce the severity of illness.

Last week Linh’s family received influenza and pneumonia vaccines. Although vaccines cannot completely shield against the effects of air pollution, Linh believes they help reduce the risk of respiratory diseases and treatment costs by preventing severe illness.

Han has stocked up on saline bottles for gargling and nasal rinsing. She also ensures her family drinks orange juice and consumes at least two liters of water daily.

“The fundamental solution is to improve air quality, but that will take a long time,” she says.