Residents urged to stay safe during current heatwave
Shropshire Council’s Public Health team is reminding people to stay safe in the sun as high temperatures across the county are set to continue.
As the country is seeing temperatures hitting almost ‘extreme’ levels, the team are supporting Public Health England’s Heatwave campaign and advising residents and visitors to the county to:
• try to keep out of the sun during the hottest time of the day between 11am and 3pm
• wear sunscreen
• wear loose cotton clothing
• keep well hydrated by drinking lots of cool drinks
• seek shade to cool down
• wear sunglasses and a hat
• look out for others especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly, young children and babies and those with serious illnesses
• never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or animals
• try to avoid physical exertion in the heat where possible
• keep your home as cool as possible – shading windows and shutting them during the day may help. Open them when it is cooler at night
• keep a watchful eye out for potential grass/forest fires
With the school holidays now approaching, parents and carers are also advised to take extra care to ensure children play safely and keep well hydrated.
Continuous hot weather can cause heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include feeling sick, faint and sweating heavily. If a person with heat exhaustion is taken quickly to a cool place, is given water to drink and remove any unnecessary, heavier clothing, they should begin to feel better within half an hour and have no long-term complications. Without treatment, they could develop heatstroke.
Heatstroke is far more serious than heat exhaustion and vulnerable people such as the very young, elderly and those with chronic conditions are more at risk. Symptoms of heatstroke include mental confusion, rapid shallow breaking and a loss of consciousness. Heatstroke is a medical emergency and should be treated immediately.
Councillor Karen Calder, Shropshire Council Cabinet Member for Health, said:
“Heat exhaustion and heatstroke can both be very serious if they are not treated quickly. As well as urging people to take heed of our advice, if you know of anyone who is particularly vulnerable, maybe an elderly person living on their own, please pay them a visit to check if they are ok.”
Shropshire Council and its partners are also warning residents of the dangers of swimming in watercourses and are urging for people to take care in rivers, lakes and quarries during the current spell of hot weather.
A number of incidents have taken place recently when people have got into difficulties in water – some with tragic consequences.
Professor Rod Thomson, Director of Public Health at Shropshire Council added.
“During this hot weather it can be very tempting to take a dip in your local river or lake, but people need to be aware of the dangers that water can pose. Even if the water level looks low, swimming or playing in watercourses can be very dangerous as a number of tragic incidents around the country have unfortunately shown. It’s simply not worth the risk.”
For further information on heatstroke and other heat-related conditions and how to keep safe in the sun go to NHS Choice at www.nhs.uk/summerhealth
Patients and the public can phone NHS 111 in addition to their GP if they are concerned about their health or others. You can also speak to your local pharmacist or go to your local walk in clinic.
Notes to editor
Public Health England’s weekly surveillance bulletin reveals there was a small increase in reports of heat related illness from Monday 8 July to Sunday 14 July, in line with the recent warm weather.
The Syndromic Surveillance weekly report is published on the PHE website every Thursday at 2pm, please visit:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/RealtimeSyndromicSurveillance/
Public Health England is a new executive agency of the Department of Health, which took up its full responsibilities on 1 April 2013. PHE will work with national and local government, industry and the NHS to protect and improve the nation’s health and support healthier choices and will be addressing inequalities by focusing on removing barriers to good health. To find out more, visit our website www.gov.uk/phe and follow us on Twitter @PHE_uk
The Heatwave Plan for England 2013 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/201039/Heatwave-Main_Plan-2013.pdf) was published by Public Health England.
For more information about the Heat-Health Watch system from the Met Office, please visit:
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/heathealth/
For more information about sun safety tips from Public Health England, please visit:http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/Radiation/UnderstandingRadiation/AtAGlance/Flash_Sunsense/
For information about skin cancer and sun protection from Cancer Research UK, please visit:
http://www.sunsmart.org.uk
Further sun safety advice is available from NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk
For more information contact PHE West Midlands press office on 0121 232 9223/4
