Preventing the health and social impacts of cold snaps

Published on 3 November 2016

Activation of the Public Health Alert Level

In accordance with the national guidelines on the prevention and management of health and social impacts related to cold spells, the seasonal health alert was activated on November 1 and will be deactivated on March 31, 2017, unless specific weather conditions warrant its continuation.

Extreme cold, biting winds, and snow are weather hazards that should not be overlooked. They can be harmful to your health. We must therefore be extra vigilant by protecting ourselves and paying special attention to vulnerable individuals (the elderly, children, people in precarious situations, or those who are homeless). Every year, hundreds of people suffer from conditions caused by the cold. These include:

illnesses directly linked to the cold, such as frostbite or hypothermia, which can cause serious or even fatal injuries;
the worsening of pre-existing conditions (particularly heart and respiratory diseases);
indirect effects, such as an increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning due to malfunctioning heating appliances (gas, oil, or coal) or the improper use of auxiliary heating devices (which should not be used for more than 2 hours continuously) or generators (which must be placed outdoors and not in the garage or basement), or when the home’s ventilation is obstructed.

To address these risks, the national guide for the prevention and management of health and social impacts related to cold waves details, in a single document, the actions to be implemented at the local and national levels to detect, prevent, and limit the health and social consequences of winter cold. It addresses issues related to access to healthcare, housing, carbon monoxide poisoning, and the prevention of seasonal infectious diseases. Special attention is given to vulnerable populations.

As with all weather-related risks posing a threat to the public, Météo France has established a "Severe Cold" alert system. The prevention and management framework is based on the alert levels issued by Météo France and includes, in particular:

seasonal monitoring, which involves establishing a specific surveillance system and implementing awareness campaigns;
an operational mechanism based on the "severe cold" weather alert—yellow, orange, or red—depending on the intensity of the event;
a catalog of measures implemented in an appropriate manner by the authorities and the various stakeholders involved, depending on the foreseeable or actual impact of the cold snap.

Local health authorities have been informed by the Directorate General of Health of the management measures to be taken in the event of extreme cold and will be on standby throughout this winter.