The UK Health Security Agency has named seven areas of England under new heat-health alerts as temperatures are set to rise this week after an unsettled period. The warnings come into effect from Wednesday, July 29.
Heat-Health Alerts Issued
Three areas have been placed under a yellow heat alert: Yorkshire and The Humber, West Midlands, and the South West. According to the UKHSA, a yellow alert means minor impacts are likely across health and social care services. There is also a greater risk to life for vulnerable people, an increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm, and water-related incidents may increase, including risks from cold-water shock and drowning.
An amber alert has been issued for four regions: East Midlands, London, East of England, and South East. An amber alert indicates that significant impacts are likely, including a possible rise in deaths due to high temperatures and impacts on younger age groups. There is likely to be an increased demand on all health and social care services, and the heat may affect the ability of some workforces to deliver their services.
Duration and Advice
All alerts come into place on Wednesday, July 29 at 9am and last until Thursday, July 30 at 9am. A post on social media announced the alerts and directed people to a UKHSA blog post on how to keep cool and stay well during hot weather. This is not the first time heat alerts have been in place; red warnings for extreme heat were issued in some parts of the UK in June, which are very rare.
