Protect against heat wave: IMD-H

Hyderabad: Amid heat wave, alert (yellow) has been issued for the State by India Meteorological Department Hyderabad (IMD-H) as 18 districts in Telangana likely to witness heat wave conditions with temperatures soaring to a maximum of 44 degrees Celsius. The following Do’s and Don’ts are reiterated for citizens of Telangana.

Dr B. Ravinder Nayak, Director of Public Health & Family Welfare, advised people to follow the following precautions.

Do’s: Stay hydrated; Drink sufficient water as and when possible, even you are not thirsty. Use Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), and consume homemade drinks like lemon water, butter milk/lassi with some added salts, fruit juices and so on. Carry water during travel and eat seasonal fruits and vegetables with high water content like water melon, musk melon, orange, grapes, pineapple, cucumber, lettuce or other locally available fruits and vegetables.

            Stay covered: Wear thin loose cotton garments preferably light coloured, cover your head: use umbrella, hat, cap, towel and other traditional head gears during exposure to direct sunlight; Wear shoes or chappals while going out in sun. Stay indoors as much as possible in well ventilated and cool places; block direct sunlight and heat waves; keep windows and curtains closed during the day, especially on the sunny side of your house. Open them up at night to let cooler air in.

If going outdoor, limit your outdoor activity to cooler times of the day i.e., morning and evening. Stay alert: Listen to Radio; watch TV; read Newspaper for local weather news. Get the latest update of weather on India Meteorological Department (IMD) website at https://mausam.imd.gov.in/ .

            Although anyone at any time can suffer from the heat stress & heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others and should be given additional attention. Those include infants and young children, people working outdoors, pregnant women; people who have a mental Illness; physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure.

 Don’ts: Avoid getting out in the sun, especially between 12 noon and 3pm; avoid strenuous activities when outside in the afternoon; Do not go out barefoot; Avoid cooking during peak summer hours, open doors and windows to ventilate cooking area adequately. Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee and carbonated soft drinks or drinks with large amount of sugar as these actually lead to loss of more body fluid or may cause stomach cramps; Avoid high-protein food and do not eat stale food; Do not leave children or pets in parked vehicle; Danger signs- Seek immediate medical attention from nearby government health facilities if any of the following is observed:

        Altered mental sensorium with disorientation; confusion and agitation, irritability, ataxia, seizure and coma; hot, red and dry skin; body temperature ≥40 0C or 104 0f; throbbing headache; Anxiety, Dizziness, fainting and light headedness; Muscle weakness or cramps; Nausea and vomiting; Rapid heart beat; Rapid, shallow breathing. As a part of precautionary measures, the Government has made elaborate arrangements by providing special beds, I.V fluids, essential medicines at all the public health facilities and ORS sachets are made available with ANMs/ASHAs/Anganwadi workers to meet any exigencies.