Now, it’s been reported that hospital admissions for flu have quadrupled in England. This comes as the current cold snap is expected to add pressure to NHS England. Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said that the next two to three weeks will likely be the busiest period of the year for many local services, and that the public needs to acknowledge the strain that this will place on staff and services.
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00:00Now, it's been reported that hospital admissions for flu have quadrupled in England. This comes
00:08as the current cold snap is expected to add pressure to NHS England. Matthew Taylor, Chief
00:14Executive of the NHS Confederation, said that the next two to three weeks will likely be
00:20the busiest period of the year for many local services and that the public needs to acknowledge
00:25the strain that this will place on staff and services. But how does the cold weather affect
00:30your health? Well, as we get older, it takes longer for our bodies to warm up, which can
00:35be bad for our health. The longer the exposure to the cold, for older people in particular,
00:41the more risk of things like heart attacks and worsening arthritis, for example.
00:47If your health could be affected by the cold, try to keep your home heated to at least 18
00:51degrees, that's 65 Fahrenheit, and keep a careful eye on weather forecasts and plan
00:55activity around them. Try not to stay sat down for more than an hour at a time. Move
01:00around and make yourself a hot drink. Even if your health might not be affected by the
01:04cold, do what you can to help friends, family and neighbours who are older or who may have
01:09health conditions, to make sure they have everything they need, particularly when the
01:13weather is bad. If you're feeling a little under the weather, if you have a cold, cough
01:18or similar problem, try your pharmacist or contact NHS 111 for practical health advice.
01:24In order to protect your health, the Met Office website recommends to keep warm and active.
01:29Eating regularly is advised as it helps to keep your body temperature warm, so it's useful
01:34to eat hot meals as well as intaking regular hot drinks. It's advised to keep moving even
01:39when indoors and to keep your bedroom window closed as breathing cold air can increase
01:44the risk of chest infections. The National Emergencies Trust also advises that social
01:49isolation can be more pronounced when people are unable to leave their homes. They recommend
01:54to seek information on warm hubs or community spaces near you.