Off the News: Stop and smell the fresh air

Venture outdoors and take a few deep breaths of some of the cleanest air in the U.S. In the American Lung Association’s 2020 “State of the Air” report, Honolulu ranks among the four cleanest metropolitan areas — those that had no high ozone (smog) or high particle (soot) pollution days while maintaining low year-round particle levels. The others are Bangor, Maine; Burlington, Vt.; and Wilmington, N.C.

Elsewhere in the islands, Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina ranked second in the year-round particle pollution category. At the county level here, all but Hawaii County, which contended with volcanic smog (vog), had passing grades for particle pollution.

Symptoms? There’s an app for that

Researchers launched a free app, COVID Symptom Tracker, available for both iOS and Android phones, to get an early sign of the disease spread. First issued to those in medical studies, it’s now open to anyone in the U.S. and U.K. (covid.joinzoe.com/us-faq).

There’s a health survey, but no identifiers are required. Participants report daily how they’re feeling; if not well, there will be further queries. You then get a local tally of those reporting COVID symptoms. On Monday, it was 369 on Oahu.