NHS England urges public to keep warm

As the polar vortex above the Arctic moving south bringing bone-chilling weather, public health officials are urging people to wrap up warm and turn to doctors at the first sign of illness.

Joining forces with Public Health England (PHE) to keep people out of A&E, NHS England is urging people to set their thermostat to no lower than 18 degree Celsius, wrap up war and consume hot meals and beverages to maintain their energy amid declining temperatures.

People older than 65 years of age and those with long-term health problems have been advised to take special precautions to avoid falling ill amid icy weather.

Prof. Adam Scaife, of Met Office Hadley Centre, said, “There is an increased risk of cold snaps between now and Christmas. Several factors, including tropical rainfall, are known to drive UK and European winter conditions … these factors are increasing the risk of a cold start to winter for the UK.”

According to stats released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), at least 43,900 excess winter deaths were recorded in England and Wales in 2014/15, the highest figure since 1999/2000.

A deep analysis of the stats also suggested that Brits with conditions like asthma, heart disease, lung problems and dementia are much more likely to die in winter.