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The Department of Health (DH) reminded members of the public, particularly those engaging in outdoor activities, to take measures to prevent heat stroke and sunburn.
A DH spokesman today (June 21) said members of the public should make sure that they bring and drink plenty of water to prevent water loss from sweating while engaged in outdoor activities.
He pointed out that particular attention should be paid to children, the elderly, the sick (including those with heart disease and high blood pressure) and obese persons as they were more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.
When going outdoors, consider the following protective measures:
* Wear light-coloured loose clothing to reduce heat absorption and allow sweat evaporation and heat dissipation.
* Do not engage in prolonged activities such as hiking or trekking under extremely hot weather, as the heat, sweating and exhaustion place additional demands on one's physique.
* Choose to do outdoor activities in the morning or late afternoon.
* Re-schedule your work to cooler times of the day. If you must work in a hot environment, introduce shading in the work areas where practicable, then start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. Get into a cool area for a rest every now and then to let your body recuperate.
* Take heed of the measured and forecast UV index released by the Hong Kong Observatory. When the UV index is high (6 or above), the public should consider wearing long sleeved clothing made from close woven fabric, a wide-brimmed hat or using an umbrella, seeking shade, putting on UV blocking sun-glasses and applying sunscreen with a protection factor of 15 or above. The above precautions should be reinforced for higher levels of the UV index.
* Swimmers and those taking part in outdoor activities should re-apply sunscreen lotion frequently.
* If you choose to do exercise indoors, make sure that indoor ventilation is adequate.
The spokesman said that any person feeling unwell should stop immediately and seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Ends/Saturday, June 21, 2008
Issued at HKT 14:38
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