EAST Sussex households are being urged to prepare as temperatures are set to soar above 30 Celsius at the weekend.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued yellow heat health alerts for seven regions of England, including the South East. It says there are very real health risks to individuals over 65 and those with pre-existing conditions such as heart or respiratory disease.
Vulnerable or unwell
The alert will be in place from 12pm Wednesday, June 18 to 6pm Sunday June 22, and the UKHSA says people should make sure they check any elderly or vulnerable family members or friends.
Under UKHSA and the Met Office’s Weather-Health alerting system, a yellow alert means that any impacts will likely include: “increased use of health care services by vulnerable populations” and “an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases”, the UKHSA says.
Keep cool advice
The government body is today urging people to take five steps to keep cool between Wednesday and Sunday. It says people should:
- Keep your home 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, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
- Keep out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
- If you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening
- Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and what to do if you or someone else has them
Sensible precautions
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “Our findings show that even moderate heat can result in serious health outcomes, especially for older adults, and it is therefore important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.
“The forecasted high temperatures are expected to be short-lived but could primarily impact those over the age of 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions. If you have friends, family or neighbours who are more vulnerable, it is important to check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice.’’
The Met Office forecast says temperatures will build through the week. On Wednesday, the highest temperature values in the UK are expected to be around 27C. On Thursday, this will rise to 29C and by Saturday increasing more locations will exceed heatwave values, with the highest temperatures expected to be over 30C.
Matthew Lehnert, Met Office Chief Meteorologist, said: “An area of high pressure over southern England will build across a larger part of the UK through midweek. Ahead of this, wet and windy weather will affect the far north-west later today and into Tuesday morning. It will remain very warm across parts of the south and east.”
