Cold-Health Alerts issued by UKHSA and the Met Office

UKHSA and the Met Office have issued an amber Cold-Health Alert (CHA) for the North West of England, West Midlands, East Midlands and South West of England until 12pm on Friday 12 January. A Yellow Cold-Health Alert remains for the North East of England, Yorkshire and The Humber, East of England, South East of England and London.

All regions had previously been placed under a yellow alert from 09.00 on Saturday 6 January, with the Met Office forecasting a period of lower-than-average temperatures across this weekend and the coming week.

Under the new CHA system introduced by UKHSA and the Met Office, an amber alert means that cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time, with potential for the whole population to be at risk and where other sectors may also start to observe impacts, indicating a coordinated response is required.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said:

With the Met Office forecasting drops in temperature across the United Kingdom into next week, it is important to check in on the wellbeing of those most vulnerable to the cold.

Cold weather can increase the risks of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections, so it can have a serious impact on health, particularly for older people and those with pre-existing health conditions.

Temperatures are expected to turn particularly cold overnight, as we would expect at this time of year. If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over the age of 65 it is important to try and heat the rooms where you spend most of your time, such as your living room or bedroom, in the coming days.