This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65843463
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| How do hot and cold health alerts work? | |
| (10 days later) | |
| The UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber cold-health alert for the whole of England, meaning it expects the NHS to see increased demand as a result of the weather. | The UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber cold-health alert for the whole of England, meaning it expects the NHS to see increased demand as a result of the weather. |
| The weather alert service warns the public when high or low temperatures could damage their health. | The weather alert service warns the public when high or low temperatures could damage their health. |
| How does the weather health alert system work? | How does the weather health alert system work? |
| Run by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office, the weather health alert system for England was introduced in June 2023. | Run by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office, the weather health alert system for England was introduced in June 2023. |
| It includes both heat-health alerts (HHA) and cold-health alerts (CHA). | It includes both heat-health alerts (HHA) and cold-health alerts (CHA). |
| Cold-health alerts are typically issued between 1 November and 30 March and heat-health alerts between 1 June and 30 September. | Cold-health alerts are typically issued between 1 November and 30 March and heat-health alerts between 1 June and 30 September. |
| The system issues warnings to members of the public and sends guidance directly to NHS England, the government and other healthcare professionals during periods of adverse weather. | The system issues warnings to members of the public and sends guidance directly to NHS England, the government and other healthcare professionals during periods of adverse weather. |
| Alerts are categorised according to severity and include: | Alerts are categorised according to severity and include: |
| headline weather conditions expected in the coming days | headline weather conditions expected in the coming days |
| details of how weather conditions will affect each region | details of how weather conditions will affect each region |
| links to additional information, advice and guidance. | links to additional information, advice and guidance. |
| The system was designed to help reduce illness and deaths by improving communication between the public and relevant bodies during periods of extreme weather. | The system was designed to help reduce illness and deaths by improving communication between the public and relevant bodies during periods of extreme weather. |
| Cold weather and health guidance and advice | Cold weather and health guidance and advice |
| Hot weather and health guidance and advice | Hot weather and health guidance and advice |
| See current weather-health alerts | See current weather-health alerts |
| Sign up to receive alerts | Sign up to receive alerts |
| What does each level mean? | What does each level mean? |
| The level of alert is based on Met Office forecasts and data. | The level of alert is based on Met Office forecasts and data. |
| There are four levels ranging from green (least severe) to red (most severe): | There are four levels ranging from green (least severe) to red (most severe): |
| Green | Green |
| Green is the normal level, when advice is given on how people should prepare to respond if temperatures rise or fall. | Green is the normal level, when advice is given on how people should prepare to respond if temperatures rise or fall. |
| Yellow | Yellow |
| Yellow alerts are issued during periods of hot or cold weather that are only likely to affect those who are particularly vulnerable, for example, the elderly or those with existing health conditions. | Yellow alerts are issued during periods of hot or cold weather that are only likely to affect those who are particularly vulnerable, for example, the elderly or those with existing health conditions. |
| Amber | Amber |
| Amber alerts are issued in situations that could potentially put the whole population at risk. The NHS may see increased demand on GPs and ambulances, for example. | Amber alerts are issued in situations that could potentially put the whole population at risk. The NHS may see increased demand on GPs and ambulances, for example. |
| Travel disruption is also likely. | Travel disruption is also likely. |
| Red | Red |
| A red alert is the most severe. | A red alert is the most severe. |
| It is issued in situations when hot or cold weather would be a significant risk to life, for even the healthy population, and could lead to failures of critical national infrastructure, such as power outages or roads and rail lines being closed. | It is issued in situations when hot or cold weather would be a significant risk to life, for even the healthy population, and could lead to failures of critical national infrastructure, such as power outages or roads and rail lines being closed. |
| Which areas are covered by the latest cold-health alert? | Which areas are covered by the latest cold-health alert? |
| On 14 January, the existing yellow cold-health alerts issued by the UKHSA were upgraded to amber across all regions of England: | On 14 January, the existing yellow cold-health alerts issued by the UKHSA were upgraded to amber across all regions of England: |
| the North West | the North West |
| the North East | the North East |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| the East | the East |
| West Midlands | West Midlands |
| East Midlands | East Midlands |
| the South East | the South East |
| the South West | the South West |
| London | London |
| The UKHSA said that the cold weather "can rapidly have a serious impact on the health of those over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions". | The UKHSA said that the cold weather "can rapidly have a serious impact on the health of those over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions". |
| "It increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections," warned Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA. | "It increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections," warned Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA. |
| The amber alert will remain in place until noon on Friday 19 January. | The amber alert will remain in place until noon on Friday 19 January. |
| Separately, the Met Office has also issued yellow warnings for snow and ice for Scotland, Northern Ireland, much of northern England and north Wales. | Separately, the Met Office has also issued yellow warnings for snow and ice for Scotland, Northern Ireland, much of northern England and north Wales. |
| National Highways also issued a severe weather alert for the north west of England. | National Highways also issued a severe weather alert for the north west of England. |
| What does an unheated room do to your body? | What does an unheated room do to your body? |
| What are cold weather payments and who gets them? | What are cold weather payments and who gets them? |
| How to drive in snow and icy weather | How to drive in snow and icy weather |
| The best way to de-ice a car and other winter tips | The best way to de-ice a car and other winter tips |
| Find out the weather forecast for your area, with an hourly breakdown and a 14-day lookahead, by downloading the BBC Weather app: Apple - Android - Amazon | Find out the weather forecast for your area, with an hourly breakdown and a 14-day lookahead, by downloading the BBC Weather app: Apple - Android - Amazon |
| The BBC Weather app is only available to download in the UK. | The BBC Weather app is only available to download in the UK. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| UK snow | UK snow |
| Met Office | Met Office |
| Snow | Snow |
| Weather forecasting | Weather forecasting |
| Severe weather | Severe weather |