Heatwave advice as temperatures to soar

Long-range forecasts by the Met Office predict that temperatures are set to soar in the UK during July and August and the Government has published advice on how to cope with high temperatures.

The Department of Health is to distribute leaflets instructing people on how to keep cool and protect themselves from hot sun. The leaflets set out the precautionary measures that everyone can take to protect their own health and the comprehensive contingency plan ensures that health professionals and those caring for vulnerable older people know what action to take during a major heatwave.

The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, said: "This second heatwave plan, updated from last year, will help ensure that the organisations who are involved in providing health and social care services know what actions to take both now, and if a heatwave arrives. As the experience in 2003 demonstrated, it is particularly important that for those over 75, especially those who live alone or in residential homes, the necessary precautions are taken to avoid serious harm through heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

"Timely preventive measure can reduce excess deaths. The leaflet designed to provide the public with common sense precautions will help people to enjoy the weather whilst protecting themselves from the dangerous, and potentially fatal, effects of these temperatures."

A central aspect of the plan is the monitoring of heat related illnesses that will trigger one of four levels of alert:

• Level 1 starts on 1st June to remind people of the practical steps people need to take to keep cool and to identify individuals at particular risk from extreme heat.
• Level 2 is triggered when for any part of the country there is an 80% chance that heatwave temperatures will be reached for two or more days.
• Level 3 is when the threshold temperatures have been reached.
• Level 4 is when the heatwave is so severe or prolonged that its effects extend outside health and social care, such as power or water shortages.

The public information leaflet called 'Heatwave - a guide to looking after yourself' contains practical advice such as trying to plan your day in a way that allows you to stay out of the heat and avoid going out in the hottest part of the day, usually from 11am to 3pm.

If you must go out stay in the shade. Wear a hat and light loose fitting clothes, preferably cotton. If you will be outside for some time, take plenty of water with you.

Take cool showers or baths and splash yourself several times a day with cold water, particularly your face and the back of your neck.

Eat as you normally would. Try to eat more cold food, particularly salads and fruit, which contain water.

Look after older people. They are much more prone to the effects of heat. If you have older relatives or neighbours you can help simply by checking on them if possible every day, and reminding them to drink plenty and often.

They should have a mixture of drinks including fruit juice and water. Help them to keep their house as cool as possible, drawing curtains, opening windows at night, or using a fan if necessary.

The number of people who died directly because of the heat in 2003 was put at 27,000 in Europe.

Figures for England released earlier this year indicated that there were 2,000 excess deaths - 85% of which were amongst people aged 75 and over.

(SP)