At a glance
Your quick answer
The practical decisions most people need to make when the AQI reaches 200.
- AQI
- 200
- Category
- Unhealthy
- Outdoor exercise
- Move indoors
- Running
- Not advised outdoors
- Children
- Limit outdoor time
- Older adults
- Stay indoors
- Asthma
- Stay indoors
- Heart disease
- Stay indoors
- Pets
- Quick walks only
- Windows open
- No
- Air purifier
- Strongly recommended
- Mask
- N95 outdoors
AQI scale
200 sits in the Unhealthy range
The AQI runs from 0 to 500. A value of 200 is where health guidance stops being about sensitive groups and starts applying to everyone. At 200 it sits near the top of the Unhealthy band — close to tipping into the next category, so watch the trend rather than the single reading.
The meaning
What does AQI 200 mean?
What AQI measures
AQI translates pollution levels into one health-focused number. The higher the number, the greater the potential health concern.
Why 200 is Unhealthy
AQI 200 falls between 151 and 200. Some members of the general public may experience health effects; sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.
What drives the number
PM2.5 almost always sets the AQI at this level. These particles lodge deep in the lungs and pass into the bloodstream, which is why the effects are not limited to breathing.
What to do right now
Close the windows, cancel outdoor exercise, and put a HEPA purifier in whichever room you spend the most time in. If you must go out, keep it short and wear a well-fitted N95 or FFP2. Anyone with asthma, COPD or heart disease should keep medication to hand and treat new symptoms seriously.
Personal guidance
Is AQI 200 safe for you?
Everyone is affected in this band. Sensitive groups are affected sooner, more strongly, and at lower doses.
General population
Cut outdoor time and skip strenuous activity outside. Short errands are fine.
Children
Keep outdoor play brief and cancel sports practice. School PE belongs indoors today.
Pregnant women
Stay indoors with filtered air where you can, and avoid roadsides entirely.
Older adults
Stay indoors. Even moderate outdoor exertion is worth postponing at this level.
Asthma
Stay indoors with a purifier running, keep your reliever with you and follow your action plan.
COPD
Remain indoors. Seek medical advice if breathlessness is worse than your usual baseline.
Heart disease
Stay indoors and avoid exertion. Chest pain, palpitations or breathlessness need urgent attention.
Pets
Toilet breaks only. Skip the long walk and the run.
Plan your day
Outdoor activity guide
At AQI 200, exercise outdoors is not worth the dose. Hard breathing multiplies how much polluted air reaches your lungs, so take the session inside.
| Activity | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Walking | Keep it short |
| Running | Move indoors |
| Cycling | Move indoors |
| Football | Postpone or move indoors |
| Hiking | Postpone |
| Gardening | Short sessions only |
| Outdoor work | N95 and frequent breaks |
At home
Indoor recommendations
Open windows?
No
At AQI 200, opening a window pulls the outdoor problem straight in. Keep them shut and recirculate.
Use an air purifier?
Strongly recommended
Run a True HEPA unit continuously in your bedroom and main living space. Size it to the room, not the price.
Run ceiling fans?
Yes, with a purifier
Fans help distribute filtered air. On their own they do nothing for PM2.5.
Vacuum?
HEPA only
Damp-mop instead where you can. A non-HEPA vacuum puts fine dust straight back into the room.
Dry clothes outside?
No
Clothes will pick up particles and carry them indoors. Dry inside today.
Keep pets indoors?
Yes
Pets have the same lungs you do. Keep outdoor trips to a few minutes.
Do you need an air purifier?
Yes. At AQI 200 a True HEPA purifier is the single most effective thing you can do indoors — a correctly sized unit in a closed room can cut indoor PM2.5 by 80% or more. Prioritise the bedroom, then the room where the household spends its evenings.
Browse recommended air purifiersDo you need a mask?
Yes, if you go outside. Wear a well-fitted N95, KN95 or FFP2 — the fit around the nose and cheeks matters more than the rating. Cloth, surgical and bandana masks do essentially nothing for PM2.5.
Health effects
What you might notice
Everyone can feel this band. What varies is how quickly symptoms appear and how far they go.
Healthy adults
Throat and eye irritation, cough, reduced stamina during exercise.
Children
Cough, wheeze and shortness of breath during ordinary play.
Asthma
Attacks become significantly more likely; reliever use goes up.
COPD
Marked breathlessness; exacerbations and hospital visits rise at this level.
Allergies
Streaming eyes, blocked nose and sore throat throughout the day.
Heart disease
Raised risk of chest pain and arrhythmia; treat new symptoms as urgent.
Simple actions
Practical tips for AQI 200
- Close every window and switch air conditioning to recirculate.
- Run a HEPA purifier continuously in the bedroom.
- Move all exercise indoors.
- Wear a fitted N95 for any trip outside.
FAQ
AQI 200 questions, answered
Is AQI 200 dangerous?
Yes, AQI 200 is genuinely unhealthy. It falls in the Unhealthy band, where the general public may begin to experience health effects and sensitive groups may experience more serious ones. Limit outdoor exposure and avoid outdoor exercise.
Can I run at AQI 200?
No — not outdoors. Running raises your breathing rate several times over, so at AQI 200 you would inhale a much larger dose of fine particles than a resting person. Move the session to a treadmill or a filtered indoor space.
Is AQI 200 safe for babies?
No. At AQI 200 keep babies and toddlers indoors with a HEPA purifier running. Their airways are small, they breathe faster relative to body size, and their lungs are still developing. Limit any trip outside to a few minutes.
Should I wear an N95 mask at AQI 200?
Yes. At AQI 200 a well-fitted N95, KN95 or FFP2 is recommended for anyone going outdoors. Fit matters as much as the filter — air leaking around the edges bypasses it entirely. Cloth and surgical masks do not filter PM2.5.
Should I use an air purifier at AQI 200?
Yes, and run it continuously. At AQI 200 a True HEPA purifier sized to the room is the most effective indoor measure available, and the bedroom is where it earns the most.
Is AQI 200 unhealthy for asthma patients?
Very much so. AQI 200 substantially raises the risk of an asthma attack. Stay indoors with filtered air, keep your reliever inhaler on you, follow your written action plan and seek medical help if symptoms do not settle.
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