The days leading up to the ‘Ferragosto’ festival, on August 15, have been some of the hottest of the summer. The population is urged to avoid direct exposure to the sun during the hottest hours of the day and to stay hydrated.
The Italian Ministry of Health issued a statement on Wednesday red alert notice for heat for 22 cities. The days leading up to the ‘Ferragosto’ festival, on August 15, have been the hottest of summer and the high temperatures are not going to let up. Under the ‘bollino rosso’ alert, the highest warning level, everyone is exposed to the risks caused by extreme heat.
Thus, the population is urged to avoid direct exposure to the sun during the hottest hours of the day since stay hydrated. The Lazio region, which includes the capital Rome, has launched an emergency plan to deal with the effects of the periods of high temperatures in the health of the population. In some cases, the number of emergency care for heat-related illnesses has increased.
“The emergency services of several hospitals have activated a special protocol that prioritizes the admission of patients suffering from health problems caused by heat. Among these patients, in a country with a large population over 65 years of age, the majority are elderly,” says Giorgia Orlandi, Euronews correspondent in Rome.
“It is clear that this age group is at greater risk. health problems Most common at this time of year include worsening of chronic diseases such as heart-related problems, arrhythmias, infections… kidney function is also affected, and behavioral problems are common,” says Giuseppe Famularo, doctor at the San Camillo Forlanini hospital in Rome.
Work on these extreme weather conditions It can also be very hard. It is estimated that they are produced every year in Italy an average of 4,000 heat-related injuries in the workplace. Unions, especially those in the construction sector, have launched a campaign to raise awareness of this problem. They urge the Government to introduce new regulations to protect workers.
“Today, the health and safety issuesand workplace injuries must be placed in the current context, characterized by climate change. Many things have changed if you compare work in the construction sector 30 years ago and today between June and September. An eight-hour workday can be organized by working a total of six and a half or seven hours in summer and eight to nine hours in winter,” says Alessandro Genovesi, general secretary of the Fillea CGIL union.
The tourists, however, do not seem affected by rising temperatures. Professional organizations estimate that their presence in the summer months will increase almost 2% compared to 2023.
