The next ‘Slip Slop Slap’-style public health campaign should focus on dealing with poor air quality, in response to the current and future bushfire crises, public health advocates say.

There are growing concerns about the health impacts of long-term exposure to smoke from this season’s bushfires, which have reportedly claimed 27 lives, more than 2000 homes and at least 10 million hectares of land since September 2019.

It has been estimated, in the Lancet Planetary Health, the smoke could be responsible for a 5.6% increase in daily all-cause mortality while the fires continue.

And, last week, RACP president-elect and respiratory physician Professor John Wilson said he had noticed a steady increase in the number of patients presenting with respiratory issues.