Met Office heat-health alert warnings issued for England

New heat-health alerts have been issued for parts of the country this weekend.

A yellow alert has been put in place by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office for seven regions of England from Friday until Monday.

Under the new HHA system introduced by UKHSA and the Met Office, a yellow alert means that any impacts include the increased use of health care services by 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.

The English regions included in the new heat-health alert are London, South East, South West, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, and Yorkshire and the Humber.

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Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “This heat-health alert means that in the coming days we are likely to experience another sustained period of hot weather, so it’s important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.

“Forecasted temperatures this week 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 forecasts show temperatures reaching as high as 29C this weekend.

These are the Met Office’s and UKHSA’s top tips for staying 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 direct sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
• 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 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, seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
• drink plenty of fluids and limit your alcohol intake