Italy, and much of Western Europe, are in the grip of a new heat wave: as we have seen several times, the blame cannot be placed on El Niñobut at thesubtropical anticyclone which is bringing temperatures 10/12 °C above average, with peaks of 40°C in different cities. For today, Tuesday 23 June, the Ministry of Health has classified 15 Italian cities as red dotswith the situation expected to worsen tomorrow, June 24, with 16 red-sticker cities. The problem is that, during the night, the minimum temperatures will hardly fall below 20 °C, giving rise to the so-called tropical nights.
But what to do for face and prepare as best as possible for this heat? The Ministry of Health, on its website, has drawn up a list of 10 tips, ranging from the most common – such as drinking lots of water and not going out during the hottest hours – up to more targeted suggestions to improve the home and work environment.
In the meantime, as of yesterday June 22nd, it is the public utility number 1500 is activeavailable from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and created with the aim of offering listening and information to citizens (especially the most fragile and at-risk people) with the aim of mitigating the effects of heat waves on health.
Prevention measures according to the Ministry of Health
As anticipated, the Ministry of Health has developed a list that includes behavioral habits and prevention measures to be adopted to try to reduce the harmful consequences of heat waves. The final objective is to limit the risks for the population and, above all, for the most fragile people (very elderly people, people with health problems, those taking medicines, newborns and very young children).
In more detail, these are:
- Don’t go out during the hottest hours, which tend to occur between 11.00 and 18.00/19.00.
- Improve the home and work environment. In this case, the Ministry indicates the simplest measure as screening of windows facing south and south-west with curtains and blinds (such as shutters) that block the passage of light, but not that of air. In case theair conditioningits use should be moderate, avoiding regulating the temperature at levels that are too low compared to the outside temperature. A temperature between 25-27°C with a low humidity rate it is sufficient to guarantee well-being and does not expose it to sudden temperature changes compared to the outside. THE fanson the other hand, accelerate the movement of the air but do not lower the environmental temperature: this is why, when the internal temperature exceeds 32°C, the use of the fan is not recommended because it is not effective in combating the effects of heat. In any case, they should never be directed directly onto the body.
- Drink lots of water (at least 1 and a half liters per day), moderate intake of caffeinated beverages, avoid alcoholic beverages. The Ministry, however, highlights how there are particular health conditions (such as epilepsy, heart, kidney or liver diseases) for which excessive fluid intake is contraindicated. In these cases, therefore, it is necessary to consult your doctor before increasing your fluid intake.
- Follow a correct diet. The dose recommended by the Ministry is 5 portions of seasonal fruit and vegetables per day, moderating the consumption of elaborate dishes rich in fat and favoring fresh, easily digestible and water-rich foods.
- Pay attention to the correct storage of food. Among the Ministry’s advice there is also an important habit, to be applied not only in summer: respecting the cold chain to guarantee maximum food safety.
- Dress comfortably and lightlywith clothing made of cotton, linen or natural fibres, avoiding synthetic fibres. Also protect your eyes with sunglasses with UV filters and your skin with high protection factor sunscreens.
- By caryou have to remember ventilate the passenger compartment before starting a journey, even if the car is equipped with a ventilation system. In this case, the Ministry recommends adjusting the temperature to values of approximately 5 degrees lower than the outside temperature, avoiding aiming the air conditioning vents directly at the passengers.
- Avoid‘physical exercise during the hottest hours of the day. For athletes, in particular, it is important at the beginning of the season to gradually adapt to the heat with training sessions of increasing intensity and exposure.
- Offer assistance to people at greater risk (such as elderly people who live alone, non-self-sufficient people) and report any situations that require intervention to the social and health services.
- Give plenty of fresh water to your petsavoiding going out with them during the hottest hours of the day and without making them walk on hot asphalt.
The 16 red-sticker cities and the problem of tropical nights
Bulletins on heat waves are also available on the portal of the Ministry of Health, within which the famous “red dots” to the main Italian cities. For today, June 23rd, I am 15 cities classified as red dot (which indicates emergency conditions with possible negative effects on the health of healthy and active people), 2 from an orange sticker and 10 from a yellow sticker. For tomorrow 24 June the situation should worsen with 16 red-sticker cities (from Milan, Turin and Bolzano to Ancona, Perugia and Viterbo), 2 from an orange sticker and 9 from a yellow sticker.
The problem is, during heat waves, the heat doesn’t decrease dramatically after sunset. In Italy, in fact, the so-called tropical nightsi.e. the nights in which the temperature was measured on the ground it always remains above 20 °C. According to data collected by ISPRA, a increase of 25.2 tropical nights compared to the average value calculated in the thirty-year reference period (1991-2020)
And it’s not just a question of comfort: increasingly higher minimum temperatures have a direct impact on health, with worse sleep quality, risk of dehydration and heat stroke, and also on energy consumption, because air conditioners, dehumidifiers and fans stay on for longer.
