OT - Overexposure to Chlorine Gas

 So this happened yesterday in my city:

China's Wuhan city covered in mysterious haze

(AFP) – 8 hours ago 

BEIJING — Young and old residents of the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan were advised to stay indoors on Monday after a thick haze blanketed the city of nine million people, official media said.

Described by residents as opaque with yellowish and greenish tinges, the fug descended suddenly in the morning, prompting people to rush to put on face masks, witnesses told AFP.

The official Xinhua news agency quoted the environmental protection department of Hubei province saying in a statement: "Children, the elderly and people with heart or respiratory diseases are advised to stay indoors."

Xinhua said straw burning was the cause and denied there had been any industrial accidents in or near Wuhan, after Internet rumours suggested there had been an explosion at a chemical complex northeast of the city.

"I looked out of the window of my office and I could not believe my eyes," said resident Li Yunzhong.

"At first I thought it was going to rain. In 31 years in Wuhan I have never known anything like it. We are very worried because we do not know what it is."

France's consulate-general in the central city advised residents to stay at home, close their windows and limit the use of air-conditioning.

"The source of the thick cloud that has covered the city of Wuhan since this morning is at present unknown," it said on its website.

"Local authorities have promised us the information as soon as possible."

Xinhua described the haze as grey-yellow in colour and said it was seen in seven cities in Hubei province, including Wuhan.

Air pollution is increasingly acute in major Chinese cities and authorities are frequently accused of underestimating the severity of the problem in urban areas, especially in Beijing.

Air-quality monitoring showed Wuhan's PM10 particulate concentration stood at 0.574 mg per cubic metre at 2:00 pm, more than triple the daily average of 0.150 mg, Xinhua reported.

But it quoted the environmental protection department saying industrial accidents were not responsible and analysis showed an increase in carbon particles from burning organic matter.

"Many farmers choose to burn crops that are left behind in their fields after harvesting," Xinhua said.

But Li was sceptical. "I doubt that," he said. "We don't practise large-scale shifting agriculture in our region."

Another resident told AFP she was leaving the city because of the cloud.

Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province and an industrial centre where many foreign firms have set up factories, including the French automotive group PSA Peugeot Citroën.

Alstom also manufactures boilers for coal-fired power plants there.

China's environment suffers from industrial pollution, increasing traffic and lax protection measures.

Official air-quality statistics are sometimes at odds with non-government measurements, and are often viewed with distrust.

Copyright © 2012 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

The news on the Chinese websites say that a chlorine pipe burst.  I'm not sure if that's true but it's the only information I have to go on.  

We had a sports day at school so I was outside in this "mysterious cloud" all day.  I have a headache, my eyes sting, my asthma is acting up and my skin feels almost like it's sunburnt.  

I went home and took a long shower.  This helped lessen my symptoms.  Now I'm getting worried about the long-term effects.  I googled it, but I found nothing scientific.  Does anyone know anything about over exposure to chlorine gas and treatment?  I'm kind of freaked out about this. 

We have another sports day today and I'm thinking of just not going.  

Thanks for listening.

I have no idea what the risks might be.  But it sounds unhealthy.  And since you had symptoms yesterday, I would stay indoors until the haze is gone.

I also don't know if I would trust them to be telling the truth about what it was, especially since they first said it was from burning crops.  They weren't telling the truth then, so how do you know they are now?

Maybe they are hosting a WLS convention and it is from all the chics farting.

 ^LIKE!

 i 100% agree with kelly. i would not go outside until i knew more, and not them just spouting stuff but what actually happened. i haven't heard anything about it on the news here. 

 Hey, Im myself living in Wuhan right now. As I know from my doctor back in Germany, your symptoms could be chlorine poisoning. Im not a doctor and hes giving the advice from thousands of miles distance, but in a case like yours you should (here my facebook status):
Buying 重碳酸盐 Chongtansuanyan (bicarbonate) or 碳酸氢钠 Tansuanqingna (sodium bicarbonate) might work as prevention. Boil it with water in your rooms (Im already doing this)!
The bicarbonate reduces the chlorine concentration in the air.

If you should encounter severe (!) symptoms buy Dexamethasone (side-effects can be strong so just take if really needed). Additionally change clothes, wash skin and eyes with water and have a warm shower (heat helps).
Id suggest to:
NOT DO THIS SPORTS EVENT
LEAVE THE CITY
BUY THIS MEDICINE
AND IMMEDIATELY TALK TO A DOCTOR BACK HOME!!

WHAT YOU DESCRIBE SEEMS TO BE REALLY DANGEROUS.
CALL ME IF YOU WANT 15107191702