What are the health impacts of bushfire smoke and do face masks help?

The lingering bushfire smoke hanging over Sydney has prompted some to wear face masks outside.

Some Sydney-siders are wearing face masks to help cope with the smoke. Source: AAP

As dozens of bushfires continue to burn across NSW, smoke haze is expected to be a regular sight this summer.

The smoke has already lingered over Sydney for a record-long period and the Bureau of Meteorology isn’t predicting a return to clear skies for a few days yet.

Apart from obscuring the view, the smoke contains harmful PM2.5 particulants that are tiny enough to be breathed into your lungs and absorbed into the bloodstream.

Read more here.

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