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In New York, the dust may have settled but asthma is on the rise
Six years after the attack on the twin towers around 4% of the rescuers and those who worked among the rubble of the World Trade Center in 2001 are now suffering from asthma. And this figure increases to 7% in the case of those who remained on the site for over 3 months…
This revelation comes as the result of a study based on 25,000 people who worked at Ground Zero, among the ruins of the twin towers. The figures are 12 times higher than would normally be expected for this group if the attack had not taken place.
With hindsight, the researchers also deplore the fact that a large number of people worked there without wearing respiratory protection equipment. “The highest incidence of asthma is found among those who were without it, laments Dr Thomas Frienden of the New York City Medical Service. “Dust inhalation is strongly linked to the appearance of respiratory disorders. These results are a reminder of the importance of wearing suitable equipment in such circumstances. Even though in an emergency it is not that simple to arrange for everyone to be suitably equipped”.
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