COVID-19 and heat waves: New challenges for healthcare systems

Stephan Bose-O'Reilly*, Hein Daanen, Katharina Deering, Nicola Gerrett, Maud Maria Theresia Elisabeth Huynen, Jason Lee, Stefan Karrasch, Franziska Matthies-Wiesler, Hanna Mertes, Julia Schoierer, Joy Shumake-Guillemot, Peter van den Hazel, Joris Adriaan Frank van Loenhout, Dennis Nowak

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Heat waves and Covid-19 overlap, as this pandemic continues into summer 2021. Using a narrative review, we identified overlapping risk groups and propose coping strategies. The high-risk groups for heat-related health problems as well as for high-risk COVID-19 groups overlap considerably (elderly with pre-existing health conditions). Health care facilities will again be challenged by Covid-19 during heat waves. Health care personnel are also at risk of developing heat related health problems during hot periods due to the use of personal protective equipment to shield themselves from SARS-CoV-2 and must therefore be protected from excessive heat periods. Some existing recommendations for heat health protection contradict recommendations for COVID-19 protection. This paper provides a preliminary overview of possible strategies and interventions to tackle these ambiguities. The existing recommendations for protection against heat-related illnesses need revisions to determine whether they include essential aspects of infection control and occupational safety and how they may be supplemented.

Original languageEnglish
Article number111153
Pages (from-to)1-8
Number of pages8
JournalEnvironmental Research
Volume198
Early online date20 Apr 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The GHHIN information series is the result of scientific collaboration of over 70 contributors and reviewers, and is the scientific backbone of this paper (Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN), 2020). We would like very much to acknowledge their role, especially of the two board members, that joined the workshop in Leiden: Joy Shumake-Guillemot, as co-author, and Hunter Jones, on behalf of all other contributors and reviewers. The team from the University Hospital in Munich (SB, KD, SK, HM, JS, DN) received a grant from the German Ministry of Environment: Avoidance of heat-related diseases in times of increased infection protection of vulnerable groups -funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag (project number: 67DAS213 ).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)

Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Covid-19
  • Health care personnel
  • Heat related health problem
  • Heat wave
  • Personal protection equipment
  • PPE
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Summer

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