The UK Health Security Agency has issued guidance on how to stay safe during periods of extreme heat, as the country experiences another summer of temperatures that are significantly above the historical average and that pose a genuine risk to health, particularly for vulnerable people.
The guidance sets out practical steps that people can take to protect themselves and others during hot weather. The most important advice is to stay hydrated, to avoid the sun during the hottest part of the day, and to keep living spaces as cool as possible by closing curtains and windows during the day and opening them at night when the air is cooler.
The guidance also emphasises the importance of looking out for people who are particularly vulnerable to heat: older people, very young children, people with chronic health conditions, and people who live alone. The UKHSA recommends checking on vulnerable neighbours and relatives during hot weather and ensuring that they have access to cool spaces and adequate fluids.
The guidance reflects the growing recognition that heatwaves are a serious public health risk in the UK, a country whose buildings and infrastructure were designed for a cooler climate and whose population is not accustomed to extreme heat. The UKHSA estimates that the heatwaves of 2022 and 2025 caused approximately 6,000 excess deaths, and it has warned that the frequency and intensity of heatwaves will increase as the climate continues to warm.
Join in — free. Comments on Daily Junction are for members, so real names stay rare and bots stay out.
One field. We email you a 6-digit code — no password needed. Your comment is kept while you do it.
Under 13? You’ll need a parent’s OK first — it takes them one click.