Leeds hit by cold weather health warning as freezing weather forecast
A cold weather health alert has been issued for Leeds with fears that there will be a ‘greater risk’ to vulnerable people.
The Met Office might be predicting the hottest day of the year so far this weekend, but first there will be yet more freezing cold weather. Temperatures will remain around 0 degrees at the coldest over the next 48 hours.
Due to the forecast, the UK Health Agency has once again put a Cold-Health Alert (CHA) in place for Leeds and the wider Yorkshire area. It is set to kick in from 6pm tonight (February 17) until 6pm on Friday (February 20).
The agency said the weather is likely to lead to an increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people, as well as a greater risk to life of vulnerable people.
Offering advice for how to stay safe in colder weather, the UKHSA said: “You should heat your home to a temperature that is comfortable for you. Low indoor temperatures can have a serious impact on your health, especially if you have medical conditions or are older.”
When you are indoors, there are things you can do that will help to keep you warm and reduce the risk of developing medical problems, for example:
- try not to sit still for more than an hour or so
- if you find it difficult to move about, stretching your arms and legs can also help keep you warm
- if you have visitors, it can help stop the spread of germs to ventilate the room for a few minutes before and after they arrive; you might be more comfortable leaving the window open during their visit, if it’s not too cold
If you are out and about during a cold snap, the UKHSA tips include wearing shoes with good grip to avoid slips and falls on slippery or icy surfaces.
Simple changes can help to keep you and your home warm include trying to heat rooms you spend a lot of time in, such as the living room or bedroom, to at least 18°C. While the agency also advises that you should wear several layers of thinner clothing; this could keep you warmer than one thicker layer.
The Met Office has issued weather warnings for snow, but Leeds is not one of the areas expected to see wintry showers. Temperatures are currently expected to climb from Friday (February 20).