The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued the first Heat-Health Alert (HHA) of the year, published on the 7th June 23. It covers our regional area. It is a yellow warning so we’d usually leave sharing that knowing of your resilience, but as it’s the first, we thought we’d share it with you.
The alert is currently in place from 9:00am on Friday 9th June to 9:00am on Monday 12th June. If current forecasted temperatures are reached, it is likely that there could be some impacts on vulnerable populations and an increase in risk to health for individuals over the age of 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. There is also the potential for indoor environments to become very warm.
Here are the ways in which you can keep yourself and others safe during periods of hot weather:
- Check on family, friends and neighbours who may be at higher risk of becoming unwell, and if you are at higher risk, ask them to do the same for you
- Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and what to do if you or someone else has them
- Keep out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11:00am and 3:00pm
- If you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercise or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler such as the morning or evening
- Keep buildings cool by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
- If you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
- Drink plenty of fluids and limit your alcohol intake
Please do remember to send children in with hats and suncream, and we also completely understand if you would like to keep your children home to keep them safe during this extreme weather!