How the smog in Delhi is harming people’s health

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Air quality in Delhi has been downgraded from severe to very poor – thanks to strong winds which are blowing away some of the city’s smog. Despite this good news hospital admissions are up for people with respiratory problems. The government has handed out 5 million face masks to schoolchildren and car use has been restricted but doctors fear there will be long-term health consequences after exposure to such severe pollution. Teenagers can be mean to each other in order to gain popularity – or they might instead turn on the charm. Psychologists in the United States and Canada wanted to know whether it’s the nice teenagers – boys as well as girls – who others like best. They discovered that a mix of strategies might be the most effective way of becoming popular. A Health Check listener tweeted about how she can’t burp – and whether we could find out if there’s anything that can be done to help her and others who suffer discomfort as a result. (Photo: Children in India wearing face masks. Credit: Sakib Ali/Hindustan Times) Health Check was presented by Claudia Hammond Producer: Paula McGrath