The CDC said about a third of the FEMA trailers it tested have dangerously high levels of formaldehyde — so high that it said they should be vacated as soon as possible. The CDC tested a random sample of 519 trailers and the results provided a fairly accurate snapshot of the living conditions faced by the 144,000 people housed in trailer and mobile homes provided to those without homes after hurricanes Rita and Katrina by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
At a press conference, CDC Director Julie L. Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., said levels in the trailers were high enough to produce symptoms such as runny noses, coughing, and even difficulty breathing — especially in people who have chronic conditions such as asthma or COPD.
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