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How American expat protects her family from Delhi’s severe air pollution

Kristen Fischer begins by showing an air-quality monitor outside her home, where the AQI reads a hazardous 210.

3 min readNew DelhiDec 25, 2025 04:32 PM IST

Fischer also clarified that Delhi’s air crisis is seasonal rather than year-round

An American expatriate living in India has sparked widespread discussion online after sharing how her family copes with Delhi’s severe winter pollution. Kristen Fischer, who has spent more than four years in the country, posted an Instagram video explaining the practical steps she takes to protect her household when air quality drops to dangerous levels.

In the clip, Fischer responds to a common question she receives: “So people ask me how I’m able to manage the air quality here in Delhi.” She begins by showing an air-quality monitor outside her home, where the AQI reads a hazardous 210. When she carries the same device indoors, the number rapidly falls and stabilises near 50, a stark contrast that she attributes to one key factor.

“This is because we have air purifiers in our house. They allow our indoor air quality to stay nice and clean,” Fischer explains. She adds that during peak pollution season, her family limits outdoor exposure and spends most of their time inside, especially at night. “In these winter months, we spend a lot of time indoors and, most importantly, we sleep in controlled and clean air.”

Fischer also clarified that Delhi’s air crisis is seasonal rather than year-round. “Mostly just November through January is bad. Otherwise, the air is much better in Delhi the rest of the year,” she said. However, she stressed that clean indoor air doesn’t happen automatically, noting that “Indoor air quality is not always good like this, it is only due to the air purifiers we run full-time”.

Watch the video:

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A post shared by Kristen Fischer (@kristenfischer3)

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The video quickly drew strong reactions online. Many viewers praised her for prioritising her family’s health, while others pointed out the larger issue at play.

An Instagram user wrote, “I am happy to see that there is the way to manage that inside at least.” Another user commented, “Delhi is ok for people who want to live only indoors. I’m sad for all the people who have no choice and must bear this pollution because they either have no money to buy an air purifier or they don’t have a proper home.”

A third user added, “Sure but it’s still quite bad that you can’t really go out.” A fourth commenter wrote, “I find green plants like elephant plant and ivy are helpful in keeping air clean. I helped one Delhi friend put plants hanging all the way across the balcony and we did a test also. The plants definitely help block that outdoor air quality so you can at least still enjoy the balcony. Amazing and sad. Too many cars and urban sprawl instead of building up.”