Heat-Health Preparedness

Although most of us welcome the summer sun, high temperatures can be harmful to your health. The heat can affect anyone, but some people run a greater risk of serious harm. Many of those who are at risk of harm from heat are also at greater risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 and may need to spend more time at home than they would usually. Others may need to stay at home because they are self-isolating or recovering from the infection.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, its especially important that you know what actions to take to keep yourself and others safe from high temperatures.

This document will tell you how to stay safe in hot weather, including how to keep your home cool. It tells you who is at greatest risk of ill health from the heat, how to recognise when you or someone’s health may be affected, and what to do if you or someone else becomes unwell as a result of the heat.

Below and attached is essential guidance and resources that will help protect the health of local residents during the hot weather period.

Heat-health risks resources accounting for COVID-19:

  • Beat the Heat: Coping with heat and COVID-19 (leaflet) available here
  • Beat the Heat: Coping with the heat and COVID-19 (poster) available here
  • Beat the Heat: Keep residents safe and well during COVID-19 (poster and checklist) – Resource for residential care settings. Available online here
  • Heat-health risk and COVID-19 Actions to prevent harm (PowerPoint presentation) available here

 

Specific resources for heat risk and COVID-19 have been developed and are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heatwave-plan-for-england 

Please note that COVID-19 may amplify the risks of heat-health harms. Fear of COVID-19 should not prevent action to tackle the risks from hot weather and heatwaves. It is critical that actions to prevent health harms from high temperatures continue, with necessary adaptions in line with coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance to keep everyone safe.

Further resources available include; Heatwave plan for England: easy read version, Making the case: the impact of heat on health – now and in the future,Advice for care home managers and staff: supporting vulnerable people before and during a heatwave, Looking after children and those in early years settings during heatwaves: guidance for teachers and professionals, Equality analysis and Beat the heat: keep cool at home (checklist)

All of the above resources are available from the gov.uk webpage - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heatwave-plan-for-england. Please review this page for any updates.