Sahha.gov.mt - Heat Wave

5B, The Emporium, C. De Brocktorff Street, Msida MSD 1421, Malta


HEAT WAVE

Health Promotion Publications

Heat wave leaflet [EN] - Front / Back Heat wave leaflet [MT] - Front / Back

Heatwave Preparedness
The fact sheet "Supporting vulnerable people during a heat wave", issued by the Department of Health Care Services Standards, can be downloaded here

UV Index Values Explained
[UV Index Values provided Courtesy of Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut (KNMI) and The European Space Agency (ESA)]

	UV Index Value	Exposure Categories
	0 - 2	Minimal - Wearing a hat is sufficient protection.
	3 - 4	Low - Wearing a hat and a sunscreen with, at least, SPF 20 is recommended.
	5 - 6	Moderate - Wearing a hat, a sunscreen with, at least, SPF 20 and staying in the shade is recommended.
	7 - 9	High - In addition to the precautions recommended above, it is advised to stay indoors between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
	10, 11+	Very High - In addition to the precautions recommended above, it is advised to stay indoors if possible.


5-day Forecast
UV and Heat Stress Indexes are currently hosted on the Malta International Airport website. Click here to view the 5-day forecast.


Simple Precautions In The Sun

[Courtesy of INTERSUN, WHO's Global UV Project and approved by the Department of Dermatology, Sir Paul Boffa Hospital, Malta.]

The UV index is a measure of the harmful Ultraviolet sunlight. It is not a measure of the "visible" sunlight or for the warmth of the Sun.
The values given in our forecast are the highest UV index, that is the value around 1 p.m.
The UV index values are valid for clear sky and broken cloud conditions.

UV levels are highest under cloudless skies, and cloud cover generally reduces a person's exposure. However, light or thin clouds have little effect and may even enhance UV levels because of scattering. Don't be fooled by an overcast day or a cool breeze! Even a long stay in open shade, for example between buildings, may give a sensitive person a sunburn on a day with high UV levels.
Be careful not to underestimate the amount of UV radiation passing through clouds

The rise in the incidence of skin cancers over the past decades is strongly related to increasingly popular outdoor activities and recreational exposure. Overexposure to sunlight is widely accepted as the underlying cause for harmful effects on the skin, eye and immune system. Experts believe that four out of five cases of skin cancer could be prevented, as UV damage is mostly avoidable.

Adopting the following simple precautions, can make all the difference. Shade, clothing and hats provide the best protection , applying sunscreen becomes necessary on those parts of the body that remain exposed like the face and hands. Sunscreen should never be used to prolong the duration of sun exposure.

Limit time in the midday sun
The sun's UV rays are the strongest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. To the extent possible, limit exposure to the sun during these hours. PROTECT BABIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN: THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT

Watch for the UV index
This important resource helps you plan your outdoor activities in ways that prevent overexposure to the sun's rays. While you should always take precautions against overexposure, take special care to adopt sun safety practices when the UV Index predicts exposure levels of 3 or above.

The UV Index can:

Save your life
Protect good health
Help preserve youthful complexion

Use shade wisely
Seek shade when UV rays are the most intense, but keep in mind that shade structures such as trees, umbrellas or canopies do not offer complete sun protection.

Wear protective clothing
A hat with a wide brim offers good sun protection for your eyes, ears, face, and the back or your neck. Sunglasses that provide 99 to 100 percent UV-A and UV-B protection will greatly reduce eye damage from sun exposure. Tightly woven, loose fitting clothes will provide additional protection from the sun.

Use sunscreen

Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 20+ liberally and re-apply every two hours, or after working, swimming, playing or exercising outdoors.
Small amounts of UV are beneficial for people and essential in the production of vitamin D.
UV radiation is also used to treat several diseases, including rickets, psoriasis, eczema and jaundice. This takes place under medical supervision and the benefits of treatment tend to outweigh the risks of UV radiation exposure.
Overexposure to solar radiation may result in acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eye and immune system.
Children are in a dynamic state of growth, and are therefore more susceptible to environmental threats than adults. Many vital functions such as the immune system are not fully developed at birth, and unsafe environments may interfere with their normal development.
Many believe that only fair-skinned people need to be concerned about overexposure to the sun.
Darker skin has more protective melanin pigment, and the incidence of skin cancer is lower in dark-skinned people. Nevertheless skin cancers do occur with this group and unfortunately they are often detected at a later, more dangerous stage.
The risk of UV-related health effects on the eye and immune system is independent of skin type.

Currently maintained by Central Procurement and Supplies Unit(CPSU- MFH). For any queries or comments about this site kindly use the Contact Us form.


Disclaimer

The Ministry makes every effort to maintain the accuracy of the information on this website but cannot accept responsibility for any prejudice, loss or damage which may occur from use of the information.

The documents contained on this web site are presented solely with the intent of providing public service information on health, health services and health-related issues. The Ministry has no direct or indirect control over the accuracy or nature of materials presented in the outside links, although we strive to maintain links only with sites that have an established standard.

All information is presented as a public service for information purposes only - all materials should be considered a secondary data source and all materials which are used in decision making processes should be confirmed with outside experts. This information is not intended nor is implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

If you find anything on this website that causes concern please contact us.


Privacy Policy

We are committed to protecting our visitors' privacy and we will not collect any personal information about you as a visitor unless you provide it voluntarily. Any personal information you communicate to us is handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2001

If there are any changes to this privacy policy, we will replace this page with an updated version. It is therefore in your own interest to check the "Privacy Policy" page any time you access our web site so as to be aware of any changes which may occur from time to time.

Contact or Feedback
When you fill the form on the "CONTACT US" or "FEEDBACK", we use the personal information submitted in the form only to respond to your message. This personal information will not be kept longer than necessary and will be deleted once the feedback requirement is met.

Links to other Websites
Our site has a number of links to other local and international organisations and agencies. In some cases, for the benefit of the visitor, it may be required that we link to other web sites of other organisations after permission is obtained from them respectively. It is important for you to note that upon linking to another site, you are no longer on our site and you become subject to the privacy policy of the new site.


Copyright

The material on this website is covered by the provisions of the Copyright Act, the laws of Malta, policies, regulations and international agreements entered into by the Government of Malta. The information contained in this website is available for personal and non-commercial public use.

For these purposes it may be reproduced without charge or further permission from the Ministry provided that, the reproduced materials are true copies of the originals and that the Ministry is identified as the source. The reproduced materials shall not in any way be represented as an official version, nor as having been produced in affiliation with or with the endorsement of the Ministry.


Data Protection

The Data Protection Act 2001 was enacted on 14 December 2001 and came fully into force on 15 July 2003. We therefore consider that we have a legal duty to respect and protect any personal information we collect from you and we will abide by such duty. We take all safeguards necessary to prevent unauthorised access and we do not pass on your details collected from you as a visitor, to any third party or Government Department unless you give us your consent to do so.

You may request us at any time what information is effectively held on you if any, at that particular time. You have the right to have any inaccuracies corrected and where applicable erased, if they are not already deleted