‘Rise in deaths’ predicted as amber cold health alerts issued in northern England | UK weather
Yellow cold health warnings have been issued for northern England as low temperatures are predicted to cause “an increase in deaths” among vulnerable and elderly people.
The UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) has issued two yellow warnings for north-east and north-west England; These warnings will be valid from 20:00 on Sunday until noon on Monday, January 5.
The agency warned that expected lower temperatures are likely to result in increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people and lead to an increase in the number of deaths, especially among those aged 65 and over or those with pre-existing health conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Vulnerable young people and rough sleepers may also be affected.
The agency warned that temperatures inside buildings such as hospitals, care homes and clinics were predicted to fall and that it would become harder for people to keep indoor temperatures at the recommended 18C, leading to greater risks for vulnerable individuals.
All other areas in England will be under a less severe yellow alert for this period; This shows that there is still potential for a significant impact on healthcare in these regions.
The agency also warned that staffing issues caused by external factors such as travel delays and infrastructure sectors such as transportation and energy could be affected.
The Met Office predicts much of the UK will be cloudy overnight, with patches of frost and fog on Monday morning, bringing “difficult travel conditions”.
Temperatures are expected to drop to -1C overnight in Penrith and hover around 0C in Lake District areas where the amber cold health alert is in place, while temperatures are expected to drop further to -6C or -7C in northern parts of Scotland.
A “strong northerly wind” will blow along the north-east coast of England.
UKHSA’s head of extreme events and health protection, Dr. Agostinho Sousa suggested checking on friends, family and neighbors as cold weather approaches.
“Predicted temperatures could have a serious impact on some people’s health, leading to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and chest infections, particularly for those over 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions,” he said.
