The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued an amber heat-health alert (HHA) for 6 regions of England.
The West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and East of England will be under an amber heat health alert from 12pm today until 9am on Monday 14 July. The North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions remain under a yellow HHA.
Under the Weather-Health Alert system, an amber alert means that weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service. At this level, we may begin to see some health impacts across the wider population. We may also see an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said:
“This weekend we expect to see another period of hot weather, with the temperature predicted to rise above 30°C across most regions of England.
“Exposure to these temperatures can result in serious health outcomes across the population so it is important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.
“Older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions are particularly at risk, so if you have friends, family or neighbours who are more vulnerable to these conditions, it is important to check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice.”
There are additional ways in which you can keep yourself and others safe during periods of hot weather, such as:
- keeping 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
- keeping 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
- knowing the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and what to do if you or someone else has them
Our UKHSA data dashboard details how exactly heat impacts the body and what we can do avoid the negative effects.
