Dr Ranj Singh, a doctor and BBC Morning Live presenter, has issued a critical 3pm rule for households during the UK heatwave on Wednesday, when temperatures could soar to 40°C in some areas. The Met Office and UK Health Security Agency have issued a red alert health warning as scorching heat hits the country.
Dr Ranj explained that while many people assume the hottest time of day is midday, the peak heat actually occurs later. He said: “Everyone wants to go out in the middle of the day. We know the sun’s at its highest between about 11am to 3pm, but the heat is actually at its highest slightly later. It’s sort of 3pm to 5pm. Why is that? Because buildings and the roads absorb the heat during the day and they radiate it back out again. So try and delay any social activities to a little bit later in the evening ideally when it’s a bit cooler.”
Retail Surge and Vulnerable Groups
Retailers are reporting soaring sales of fans, ice cream makers and sun cream as households try to cope with the extreme heat. Currys said it had seen an almost 1,500% increase in customers searching for fans on its website compared with last weekend, and a 3,500% increase in searches for air conditioning products over the same period.
Dr Ranj emphasised the importance of checking on vulnerable people, including the very young, very old, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions. He said: “Really important to check in on them, make sure they’ve got adequate supplies. I always make a point about breastfeeding babies. Make sure they’re feeding properly. They might want to breastfeed more often.”
Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke Symptoms
Dr Ranj outlined the signs of heat exhaustion, which occurs when the body is exposed to heat for a long period but can still cope. Symptoms include tiredness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, excessive sweating with pale and clammy skin (harder to see on brown or black skin), cramps in the arms, legs and stomach, a high temperature, being very thirsty, and feeling irritable. If someone shows these signs, they need to be cooled down and given fluids.
If not cooled adequately, heat exhaustion can progress to heatstroke, a medical emergency. Symptoms of heatstroke include a very high temperature, hot skin without sweating, fast breathing and a fast heartbeat, confusion and restlessness, seizures, and loss of consciousness. Dr Ranj advised: “We want you to cool them down rapidly. You might use cool packs in the neck and in the groin in the armpits and you want to be calling 999.” He also directed people to the NHS website for more detailed guidance on signs to look out for.
