Health advice this spring/summer

Sunscreen and sun safety 

Advice for adults and children on sunscreen and sun safety in the UK and abroad. 
 

Sunburn increases your risk of skin cancer. Sunburn does not just happen on holiday. You can burn in the UK, even when it’s cloudy. 

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

Aim to strike a balance between protecting yourself from the sun and getting enough vitamin D from sunlight.

Sun safety tips

Spend time in the shade when the sun is strongest. In the UK, this is between 11am and 3pm from March to October.

Read more Sunscreen and sun safety – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Hay fever 

Hay fever is usually worse between late March and September, especially when it’s warm, humid and windy. This is when the pollen count is at its highest.

Symptoms of hay fever include:

  • sneezing and coughing
  • a runny or blocked nose
  • itchy, red or watery eyes
  • itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
  • loss of smell
  • pain around your temples and forehead
  • headache
  • earache
  • feeling tired
  • If you have asthma, you might also:
  • have a tight feeling in your chest
  • be short of breath
  • wheeze and cough

Hay fever will last for weeks or months, unlike a cold, which usually goes away after 1 to 2 weeks.

There’s currently no cure for hay fever and you cannot prevent it.

But you can do things to ease your symptoms when the pollen count is high find out more: Hay fever – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

COVID-19 booster vaccine

Some people may be eligible for both the COVID-19 booster vaccines.

Find out more about the COVID-19 booster vaccine and who can get it

Group A strep and scarlet fever 

There has recently been high rates of Group A strep and scarlet fever in the UK.

It’s a common and usually mild illness but kids do need antibiotics so look out for a rash, fever, sort throat and a red tongue (strawberry tongue).

For more information and when to seek help visit https://wyhealthiertogether.nhs.uk/parentscarers/worried-your-child-unwell/Group-A-Strep-Scarlet-Feve