Responding to a cold weather alert from the UK health security agency (UKSHA), Erika Radford Head of Health Advice at Asthma + Lung UK, said:
“This cold weather alert is a real worry. Colder temperatures are especially problematic for people with lung conditions, because it can trigger potentially life-threatening asthma attacks and cause other lung conditions to get significantly worse. To stay well, we would advise that people heat their homes to at least 18°C if they can, but we know that this is going to be hard for many people this winter. There are also other things that people can do to stay well as it gets colder. Taking medication as prescribed, wearing layers of clothing (as this traps warm air better than one bulky layer), having hot drinks, eating at least one hot meal a day if you can and avoiding sitting still for more than an hour can all help.
“In our recent survey, almost three-quarters of those surveyed told us they plan to heat their homes less, while 45% look set to turn their heating off altogether to cope with the rising cost of living. This is a concern as respiratory infections can thrive in colder temperatures and poorly ventilated, damp environments. Long-term exposure to colder temperatures and mould can also affect our immune response, hampering the body’s ability to fight off respiratory infections. With energy bills increasing, more people are being plunged into fuel poverty and forced to live in freezing homes. Winter is already a deadly time for people with lung conditions and the last thing we want to see is more people being rushed to hospital fighting for breath, because of exposure to the cold. We are urging the government to step up for people with lung conditions and introduce more targeted support to help people keep their homes warm this winter.
“For advice on how to keep well in the cold visit Keeping well in the cold.”