Rock Island County Health Department gives tips for dealing with heat
With high temperatures expected over the several days, keeping cool is going to be a top concern for most Quad City residents. Our Quad Cities News spoke with George Verástegui, Public Health Administrator at the Rock Island County Health Department via Zoom to discuss how to stay cool and out of the emergency room, especially for those who work outside, children and the elderly.
“The best thing is to start earlier than usual,” he said. “Try to take more frequent breaks. Maybe you can try to wait a little longer until you feel comfortable to keep doing your job and try to protect yourself.” He advises wearing a hat with a wide brim, using sunblock and drinking water.
However, sometimes drinking regular water isn’t enough, said Verástegui. “I would recommend some drinks that have some electrolytes in their composition.” When people sweat, they not only lose water, but sodium, electrolytes and other minerals. Replacing these is important to keep functioning properly.
While there are products on the market to help people cope with heat, like neck fans, Verástegui says there are other ways to cool down using things around the house. “You can try to get ready with a towel soaking in water, put it into your fridge for five to 10 minutes and you can use it that around your neck. That is going to cool down your body from the high temperatures.” If these methods aren’t working, it’s time to seek out medical help.
For years, experts have cautioned that young children and the elderly should be checked on frequently during heat waves, but that’s not because they may forget it’s hot. “There are some people who are taking medication for hypertension that makes you pee more frequently,” said Verástegui. “This medication will make you lose liquid more than a normal person that’s not taking that medication.” Thyroid medications can also affect heat tolerance because they rev up a person’s metabolism.
People are urged to check on children and elderly people more often when it’s hot, and for a very good reason, he said. “We have in our brain, in some part of our hypothalamus, we have that center that regulates our temperature. What’s happening in immature brains like children and babies, they haven’t developed that biological thermostat. The same is happening with people who are older, they lose that ability to regulate their internal temperature.”
Verástegui said these temperatures are just something people must deal with, but fortunately, there are resources to help. “We’re going to have these kinds of patterns over the next three months, so I encourage our community to visit our Facebook page. We posted a few recommendations over there; we posted the places that you can go if you don’t have access to air conditioning.”
Click here for more information on the Rock Island County Health Department. Click here for more information on preventing heat stroke and other temperature related illnesses. Click here to learn how to protect your pets.
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