Blistering heat forces people to stay indoors

Tirupati: The blistering heat and the continuous spell of heat waves over the last one week forced the people to stay indoors. The mercury has crossed 40 degree Celsius during mid April and now it even touched 44 degree Celsius in Chittoor district. The roads which are otherwise very busy, now wears a deserted look during most of the day time. With the weather department forecasting similar conditions during the coming days, people will have a tough time with scorching sun.

Highlights:

• District Collector PS Pradyumna releases poster and pamphlets comprising of precautions should be taken to prevent heat strokes
• Free ORS packets made available with ASHAs, Anganwadi volunteers, health workers, PHCs and at ration shops

People, who had to go out for attending their compulsory daily cores should take precautions. Those remaining indoors also find no respite from the humidity. They could not bear the brunt of the heat as most of the people cannot afford air coolers or
Air-Conditioners.

Even those who are staying indoors are prone to heat exhaustion, said the physician Dr P Krishna Prasanthi. Speaking to The Hans India, she said that the most vulnerable are pregnant women, pediatric and geriatric. The total intra cellular metabolism is getting disturbed due to high temperatures. As a result, people will get dehydrated.With heat exhaustion, people are suffering from heavy sweating, dizziness, fatigue and nausea. As the mercury rises, people sweat more.

To avoid these, people of all age groups should take plenty of fluids, she added. As far as possible, people should stay indoors from 10 am to 4 pm. Cardiac and kidney ailment patients should be even more careful. They need to consult the doctor immediately if they find these symptoms, she said.

Krishna Prasanthi also said that those who are not sweating or urinating might have hit by a heat stroke. They should be given intravenous fluids. Viral diarrhoea in all age groups and sodium disturbances in elderly people is a symptom of heat stroke. There may be symptoms of vomiting sensation and should consult the doctor immediately. As a social responsibility, municipalities and social organisations should see that the plenty of fluids are available for those moving on the roads, especially vendors.

The civic officials should open water kiosks at select places to quench the thirst of people during day time. The district administration on its part has embarked on massive awareness campaign to educate people on the precautions to be taken. On Monday, a poster and pamphlets comprising of instructions and precautions should be taken to prevent heat strokes were released by the District Collector PS Pradyumna.

The DMHO Dr S Vijaya Gowri said that 12 lakh pamphlets and 1,000 posters were printed for distribution in the district. The Collector instructed them to distribute a pamphlet in every house. Free Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) packets were also made available with Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi volunteers, health workers, PHCs and even at
ration shops.

By V Pradeep Kumar