How to stay safe and well this summer

There are lots of simple steps you can take to keep yourself and your family safe and well when you’re enjoying the great outdoors this summer.

Hot weather

While we’re often excited to see the sun, hot weather can cause some people to become unwell through overheating, dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Anyone can become unwell if they get too hot, but some people - including older people, babies, young children and people with underlying medical conditions - are at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell.

Follow these tips to say safe in hot weather:

• keep out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
• if you are going to do a physical activity (e.g. exercise or walking the dog), do this during times of the day when it is cooler such as morning or evening  
• keep your home cool by closing windows and curtains in rooms facing the sun
• if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, seek shade and apply sunscreen
• drink plenty of fluids and limit your alcohol intake
• check on family, friends and neighbours who may be at higher risk of becoming unwell, and if you are at higher risk, ask them to do the same for you
• know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and what to do if you or someone else has them.

Sun safety

Sunburn increases your risk of skin cancer. This doesn’t just happen on holiday, as you can burn in the UK, even when it’s cloudy so make sure you take precautions to protect your skin.

There is no safe or healthy way to get a tan, and a tan does not protect your skin from the sun’s harmful effects.

Follow these tips to protect your skin:

• use at least factor 30 sunscreen
• spend time in the shade when the sun is strongest (between 11am and 3pm)
• never burn
• cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses
• take extra care with children.

Find more guidance about sunscreen and sun safety on the NHS website.

Be tick aware

Ticks are small creatures that look a bit like spiders and live in the countryside. They are often found in and near areas with trees, shrubs, tall grass or piles of leaves.

They attach to your skin, and bite to suck blood. Some ticks carry disease and can sometimes pass on disease to humans, including Lyme disease. They are most active between March and October and you could be exposed whenever you spend time outdoors – including in your garden or the local park.

The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid being bitten by a tick. Follow these tips when you are heading outside this summer:

• ‘be tick aware’ and remember that you could be exposed to ticks whenever you spend time outdoors, including when in your garden or the local park
• wear light coloured long-sleeved shirts and trousers
• tuck your shirt into your trousers, and your trousers into your socks
• wear closed-toe shoes
• use bug spray (always follow label directions)
• walk on cleared paths or walkways and try to avoid overgrown paths
• shower or bathe as soon as possible after being outdoors
• do a daily full body tick check on yourself, your children, your pets and any items you took with you.

It’s important you remove ticks as soon as possible if you find them on your skin. The safest way to remove a tick is by using a pair of fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool. If you begin to feel unwell with flu-like symptoms, or develop a spreading circular rash (which usually appears within 1 to 4 weeks after being bitten), contact your GP or call NHS 111 promptly.

Find out more and be tick aware.

Food safety

Summer is a great time to enjoy a BBQ with family and friends, but warm weather and outdoor cooking can provide the perfect conditions for bacteria to grow.

There are easy steps you can take to prevent food poisoning:

• wash your hands before preparing food and after handling raw meat
• ensure meat is not left outside of the fridge for long periods and is cooked thoroughly
• avoid cross-contamination by storing raw meat separately from ready-to-eat foods and using different utensils, chopping boards and plates for raw and cooked food.

Find more BBQ safety advice from the Food Standards Agency.

Farm visits

Visiting a farm is a fun experience for the family, but there is a risk of infection from animals or the environment. There are some simple actions you can take to stay safe and well:

• wash your hands thoroughly with warm, soapy water whenever you have interacted with an animal and when you’re ready to leave the farm
• avoid eating or drinking when you’re around animals
• try to avoid wearing open-toed shoes. At the end of your visit remove and clean boots or shoes and clean pushchair or wheelchair wheels, then wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm running water.

Find more advice from the UKHSA.

Water safety

If you’re enjoying time in and around the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, or on one of the many amazing nearby beaches this summer, make sure to take care as there are lots of hidden dangers. Find beach safety advice from the RNLI or water safety guidance from the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.