Beware of the heatwave
Stockport is in the grip of a heatwave that is likely to continue over the next few days, according to Met Office forecasts. The national weather specialists today (fri) declared a heatwave alert level 3 which is triggered when an area has at least two consecutive days when the temperature hits 30°C or higher and will not drop below15°C at night. While it might seem fun for some, a heatwave can be dangerous particularly for the young, elderly or those with long term health problems. It’s important that everyone tries to remain cool by staying out of the sun, wearing the right clothing and drinking plenty. Wear loose, lightweight clothing and avoid going out in the sun particularly between 11 and 3pm, but if you have to go out wear a wide brimmed hat and keep in the shade if you can. If you are going outside make sure you also wear plenty of suncream and sunglasses to protect your skin and eyes. It’s also very important to keep hydrated and you can do that by drinking plenty of cold drinks - avoiding alcohol, tea and coffee – and also eating cold foods, particularly salads and fruit with a high water content. To provide shelter from the sun and heat, keep your home cool by shutting all windows and closing the curtains when it’s hot outside. You can open them for ventilation later when it’s cooler outside. If you find yourself getting hot stay cool by taking cool showers or baths and/or sprinkle yourself several times a day with cool water. Also avoid too much exercise which can cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke and can be fatal. Fatigue is an early sign of heat stress. Finally keep an eye on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be less able to look after themselves.
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