May 1st - World Asthma Day

May 1^st is World Asthma Day and the start of Asthma Awareness Month. Asthma is a serious chronic respiratory disease that affects the quality of life for almost 25 million Americans, including an estimated 7 million children. We at the EPA have the chance to promote a better understanding of asthma and that the cleaner our air, both indoors and out, the easier it will be to manage this disease.

The EPA plays an important role in helping to reduce environmental irritants such as smog, smoke and chemicals in the air that affect our health and trigger asthma attacks. The Clean Air Act has provided numerous health benefits, including the prevention of millions of asthma attacks per year. Across the country, those outside the agency also play an important role. This year, EPA honors four healthcare program winners from Connecticut, California, Michigan and North Carolina for their outstanding efforts to improve the lives of people with asthma in under-served communities. I encourage you to read more about the excellent work they are doing.
Messages to Remember In May:

· Asthma is controllable. Create an asthma plan and know your asthma triggers.
· Take action to avoid those triggers.
· Get Active: Even though you have asthma you can still participate in activities.
· Be 'Air Aware' during Air Quality Awareness Week (4/30-5/4): Poor air quality can affect asthma, so download the Air Quality Index mobile app to check how clean or polluted your air is and what associated health effects might be a concern for you.

Please take a moment to visit EPA’s Asthma Awareness Month website for a list of resources and how you can promote breathing easier, and living better. Thank you for your hard work to provide cleaner air and steadfast resources to prevent asthma in communities across the United States. For more information about asthma please visit epa.gov/asthma.