From Kent County Council’s Director of Public Health, Dr Anjan Ghosh
Spells of hot weather may currently be relatively short-lived in the UK. But their impact on people’s health are still significant. Every year the UK experiences excess deaths when temperatures soar.
With joint Office for National Statistics (ONS) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) analysis showing there were around 3,000 more deaths in the over-65s than usual in England and Wales as the country endured record high temperatures of 40c last summer, health experts agree – the numbers are a reminder of just how dangerous hot weather can be.
As the human body has to work harder to regulate its temperature, hot spells pose a particular risk to vulnerable groups. This includes the elderly, particularly with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and very young, who cannot escape heat without assistance.
Individuals already dealing with underlying health conditions such as heart and lung disease, asthma and type 2 diabetes are also very susceptible to the extra physical stress of hot weather.
People with a weakened immune system – having ongoing treatment for cancer, or recently undergoing a major operation, for example – are also in this vulnerable group.
It means that for some an over-hot home can be more than just uncomfortable – it can pose a real health risk.
And often those least able to cope with extreme temperatures live in homes least well equipped to deal with the heat.
Properties with east, west, or south-facing windows, with no shade from the sun, or homes fitted with low-efficiency appliances that kick out excess heat, are among the types of housing stock most likely to overheat.
Preparing homes for hot weather
UKHSA advises there are lots of actions that can help better prepare homes for hot weather, including:
- Installing internal blinds or curtains, or external shutters. Roller blinds or awnings are also very effective but care should be taken with metal blinds and dark curtains, as these can absorb heat
- Switching on ventilation systems to operate in ‘summer mode’
- Regularly checking fridges, freezers, and fans are working properly
- Checking medicines can continue to stored according to the instructions, including the temperature, detailed on the packaging
- Asking installers for advice about reducing overheating when insulating or refurbishing a home. Insulating a property can keep its temperature more consistent and stop the home getting hot in the first place. Finally,
- Growing plants outside can provide shade, which can be particularly helpful in front of south-facing windows. Plants inside may help cool the air.
Reducing heat
Again, taking UKHSA advice, when the hot weather arrives tenants can do a range of things to reduce heat in the home, including:
- Covering windows exposed to direct sunlight and keeping windows that are exposed to the sun closed during the day
- Opening windows when the air feels cooler outside, for example at night, to get air flowing through the home
- Using electric fans if the air temperature is below 35°C – though fans should not be aimed directly at someone because this can lead to dehydration
- Turning off all non-essential lights and electrical equipment to prevent them generating unnecessary heat
- Checking the heating is off
- Consider using the oven to cook at the cooler times of the day, and
- Moving to a cooler part of the home, if possible, especially for sleeping.
What you can do next
Please do help your staff consider how to share this information with your tenants.
In addition:
- Sign up for UKHSA Weather Health Alerts here and specify what region you would like to receive alerts for so you know when spells of extreme hot weather are expected
- Visit kent.gov for further advice on keeping cool in hot weather
- See the NHS website for advice about heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and see
- The Kent and Medway Integrated Care System website which has a guide to helping people ‘Stop, Think, Choose’ the right service to get health treatment faster.
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