Amber health warning issued as temperature plummets across Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is under an amber warning due to falling temperatures, posing risks to vulnerable populations.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber Cold Health Alert for Greater Manchester and the North West.
The warning covers the Yorkshire & Humber, North West and North East regions of England and is in force until 8.00am on Saturday, November 22.
Under the Weather Health Alerting system introduced by UKHSA and the Met Office, an amber Cold Health Alert means that cold weather impacts are “likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time, with potential for the whole population to be at risk”.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “This is the first prolonged cold spell of the season, and it is therefore vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.
“The forecasted temperatures can have a serious impact on the health of some people, leading to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections, particularly for individuals over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions.”
The Met Office has issued multiple Yellow National Severe Weather Warnings for ice and snow affecting parts of Scotland and northern England from Monday to Thursday. Greater Manchester is currently unaffected.
While snow is currently not expected in Manchester, the Met Office warns sleet or snow could impact the North West.