According to Météo-France, a heat wave will gradually spread across several regions of the country starting Tuesday, July 12, 2022, and lasting through the end of the week, or even into the following week. Santé publique France urges caution and reminds the public of simple precautions to take during a heat wave.
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Heat waves can have a significant impact on health. It is therefore essential to take proper precautions. Certain measures must be put in place, especially for those most at risk.
According to weather forecasts issued by Météo France, the southern departments of mainland France (Atlantic, Southwest, and Rhône Valley departments) are expected to experience a heat wave beginning this Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Highs could reach or exceed 36 to 38 degrees, or even 39 degrees locally, with lows between 18 and 23 degrees in these departments. In the coming days, the heat will gradually intensify toward regions further north, then east. This heat wave could be prolonged and continue into the following week.
For real-time weather updates, check the Météo-France weather advisory map, which is updated regularly: http://vigilance.meteofrance.com
To view Météo-France news: click here
Heat waves or extreme heat can have significant health effects on all of us. However, special attention must be given to people who are vulnerable due to their age, health condition (medications that increase the effects of heat or interfere with the body’s ability to adapt to heat), or life events (pregnant women), or due to overexposure to heat in school settings or as a result of working conditions, living conditions, behavior, or the environment.
Heat waves can lead to several thousand hospitalizations and hundreds of excess deaths. It is therefore important not to wait for warning signs to appear—such as no urine output for 5 hours or dark urine, breaking out in a sweat after drinking a glass of water, cramps, fatigue, or headaches—before taking preventive measures.
These prevention tips apply to everyone, but especially to people who are vulnerable due to their age, health condition (medications that increase the effects of heat or interfere with the body’s ability to adapt to heat), a life event (pregnant women), or due to overexposure to heat resulting from work conditions, lifestyle, behavior, or the environment (athletes, workers, residents of homes exposed to extreme heat, etc.).
Drink water regularly, even if you are not thirsty; avoid alcohol
Stay cool: avoid going out during the hottest hours
Avoid physical exertion during the hottest hours of the day (work, sports)
Keep your home cool
During the day, shutters and windows should be:
Kept closed on the sunny side. Their double barrier limits heat from entering the room
Open on the shaded side if this allows for cross-ventilation. In this case, hang a damp towel so that evaporation cools the air. If it is not possible to create cross-ventilation using only the shaded windows, keep them closed.
As soon as outdoor temperatures are lower than indoor temperatures:
Open the shutters and windows wide to cool the home
If the home cannot be kept cool:
Go to a cool place (library, movie theater, stores, air-conditioned room, etc.)
If traveling by car:
Travel during the coolest hours of the day
Make sure to bring enough water for every trip
Never leave anyone, especially a child, alone in a car, even for a short time
If you are in a high-risk group (such as the elderly or people with disabilities), be sure to sign up with your local municipality to receive assistance during summer heat waves.
During periods of extreme heat, certain medications may impair the body’s natural defense mechanisms. If you have any concerns, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Specific tips for workers:
Workers exposed to heat are also at greater risk. In addition to the direct effects of heat, fatigue caused by both heat and work can lead to reduced alertness and workplace accidents. To limit work-related accidents caused by weather conditions, employers are required to implement a few simple measures mandated by regulations (providing workers with a rest area suitable for the weather conditions, arranging the worksite to allow for breaks under equivalent safety conditions, etc.). The INRS provides resources to help employers take action and raise employee awareness.
Learn more: www.inrs.fr/chaleur
Whether at the beach, in a river, at a lake, or in a pool, warm weather is perfect for swimming and water activities. It’s important to teach children to swim as early as possible, or at least to get them used to being in the water, and it’s never too late to learn to swim, even as an adult.
Regardless of the swimming location, a child must always be under constant supervision and closely monitored by a single responsible adult; ideally, the adult should swim with the child.
Adults should take their health into account: do not swim if you feel unwell (fatigue, health issues, chills); do not overestimate your physical condition or swimming ability; do not consume alcohol before swimming; and enter the water gradually, especially after prolonged sun exposure.
It is also necessary to consider the swimming environment, especially in rivers, lakes, and the ocean; check weather conditions; and, in general, follow safety guidelines, swimming restrictions, and swim only in supervised areas marked by swimming flags.
This heat wave is occurring while the COVID-19 pandemic persists. In this context, heat wave prevention is a priority. Ventilation to combat the spread of COVID-19 should be limited to the coolest hours of the day, when outdoor temperatures are lower than indoor temperatures. At the same time, to combat COVID-19 during heat waves, it is important to:
strengthen other preventive measures: handwashing, wearing masks in air-conditioned public spaces, physical distancing
avoid using fans in the presence of others
self-isolate if you have symptoms or test positive
stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations in preparation for future heat waves
0800 06 66 66
(toll-free from a landline in France), 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Here you will find prevention materials made available to healthcare professionals and the general public.
First Heat Waves and UV Exposure: Simple Steps Everyone Can Take (News from 05/19/22)
Heat wave (report). Ministry of Health.
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Ultraviolet radiation, which is everywhere, is emitted naturally by the sun or by artificial sources. It is responsible for various health conditions, including certain types of skin cancer.
