Dry weather forecast: see health precautions – 09/19/2023 – Balance and Health

Inmet (National Institute of Meteorology) issued this Monday (18) a warning of low relative humidity for a large part of Brazil.

The forecast is that by Thursday night (21), Goiás, Tocantins and Piauí, a large part of Minas Gerais, Bahia and Mato Grosso, and portions of São Paulo, Maranhão, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco and Alagoas register between 20% and 30% humidity.

In this scenario, it is considered that the state is one of attention, which requires care such as avoiding physical exercise outdoors between late morning and early afternoon.

Other important measures according to the CGE (São Paulo Climate Emergency Management Center) are humidifying the environment with damp towels and basins of water; Stay in places protected from the sun whenever possible and drink plenty of water.

When humidity is between 20% and 12%, the state is alert. On these days, the main recommendations are not to exercise or work outdoors between 10am and 4pm; avoid crowds in closed environments; use saline solution in the eyes and nostrils and reinforce hydration.

Below 12% humidity, the state is of emergency, when, in addition to the above precautions, any outdoor activities between 10 am and 4 pm, including physical education classes, garbage collection and mail delivery, must be stopped.

How to reduce the effects of dry weather

Dry weather causes burning eyes and dry skin. It also favors allergic attacks and the worsening of respiratory diseases — without rain, pollutants and other allergens remain suspended in the air for longer.

To minimize these problems, the main advice is to keep your body hydrated. In addition to drinking water, experts suggest drinking coconut water and isotonic drinks to replace mineral salts.

To relieve irritation in the airways, the recommendation is to use saline solution for nasal washing and inhalation.

These precautions must be reinforced when there are children or elderly people at home. The caliber of children’s airways is smaller and their immune system is not yet fully developed, while people over 60 years of age have reduced immunity and greater difficulty in recognizing dehydration.

The skin also deserves attention. The ideal is to avoid baths with very hot water and apply moisturizer daily.

Keeping environments well ventilated, spreading wet towels and bowls of water around the house are other actions that contribute to increasing comfort.