Delhi's Smog Survival: Adaptation Fatigue Sets In

As winter recedes, Delhi reflects on another season of severe air pollution, characterized by hazardous AQI levels. For over two months, residents managed the persistent haze of PM2.5 and PM10. Faced with limited relief from short-term solutions, families across different age groups adopted a familiar pattern of precautions. This included reducing outdoor activities, ensuring homes were sealed, and stockpiling masks and remedies, leading to a phenomenon termed 'adaptation fatigue.'

Families with young children, like one Delhi-Gurgaon resident, prioritized indoor activities and installed pollution meters to monitor air quality. Homes were checked for air leaks to maximize the effectiveness of air purifiers. For the elderly, strategies varied, with some becoming more AQI-aware to plan outdoor walks, while others with health issues implemented stricter routines. These included frequent hand washing, steam inhalations, and stocking nasal drops, alongside consuming traditional remedies like 'kadhas'.

Some residents, like a 74-year-old entrepreneur whose home faces a busy road, relied on indoor plants believed to purify air. While her sons relocated due to worsening air quality, she remained in Delhi for work and social commitments. She, like many others, took temporary breaks in places like Goa during the peak pollution months. This temporary respite is not a permanent solution for everyone, especially for working professionals and students who cannot easily take extended leave.

Medical professionals noted an increased interest in flu shots during late 2025 and early 2026, particularly among those with respiratory ailments. While flu is viral, pollution exacerbates respiratory conditions, making flu shots a considered preventative measure. Others opted for air-purifying plants and researched advanced air purifier models. The lifting of the haze signals a temporary reprieve, but the underlying issue of air quality and the psychological toll of constant adaptation remain significant concerns for Delhi's population.