Heat protection plan: How we should be protected from health risks caused by heat

Heat poses many health risks. The Federal Ministry of Health’s heat protection plan is designed to reduce these risks. You can read about the measures that have already been implemented and what is still planned here.

Most people probably have nothing against warm summer days. But heat waves, which will probably occur more frequently as a result of the climate crisis, are a major challenge for the body. Persistent temperatures above 30 degrees during the day and tropical nights not only affect general well-being, but also pose serious health risks, especially for some groups of people. To protect the population from this, the Federal Ministry of Health has developed a heat protection plan.

What are the health risks of heat?

The increasing heat stress caused by global warming has significant health effects, as the Federal Environment Agency explains. High temperatures and intense sunlight promote the formation of harmful ground-level ozone, which can lead to short-term symptoms such as watery eyes and long-term effects such as asthma. Heat also puts a strain on the body’s cooling system, particularly on tropical nights when temperatures do not fall below 20 degrees and the body cannot recover sufficiently at night because there is no cooling.

In hot weather, the body is under constant stress: it has to work constantly to maintain its core temperature of 37 degrees. This stress can lead to circulatory problems and regulatory disorders, especially in sensitive people. Typical symptoms are:

• Headache,

• Exhaustion and
• Dizziness.

Elderly people and people with chronic pre-existing conditions such as cardiovascular disease are particularly at risk.

Extreme heat can also be fatal: in the hot summers of 2018 and 2019, it resulted in around 15,600 additional deaths in Germany alone. According to forecasts by the Federal Environment Agency, mortality from heat could increase by one to six percent for every degree Celsius increase in temperature. By the middle of this century, this would mean 5,000 additional deaths per year.

The federal government’s heat protection plan is intended to reduce these health risks caused by high temperatures. In July 2023, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach presented the Federal Ministry of Health’s first concrete heat protection plan, which includes immediate measures and long-term strategies.

Goals:

• Raising public awareness: Particularly vulnerable groups should be informed about protective measures in heat.

• Reducing heat-related deaths: The goal is to halve the number of deaths from heat and keep them below 4,000.

• Effective warning systems: Targeted warnings are intended to ensure that protective measures are initiated in good time.

• Promoting scientific research: improving and disseminating scientific knowledge on heat protection.

Short-term measures in the heat protection plan

Short-term measures are primarily aimed at improving communication in the event of heat hazards and raising awareness of heat stress: awareness of heat risks among the population should increase and people should be adequately warned of impending extreme heat.

For example, the heat protection plan provides for routine use of the German Weather Service’s heat warning system. To ensure this, work will be done to make the system more user-friendly so that as many people as possible can be reached with it, for example via apps or SMS.

In addition, the states should examine whether the system’s warning levels should be linked to specific emergency measures. This would regulate what needs to be done to protect the population at each heat level.

Long-term goals of the heat protection plan

In the long term, the measures in the heat protection plan are intended to establish sustainable structures to protect against heat risks. Heat protection is primarily aimed at groups that are particularly vulnerable due to their age, their place of work (e.g. construction site), previous illnesses or their living conditions (e.g. homelessness).

The federal government therefore wants to support nursing homes, for example, in preparing for heat waves. One idea is to work with the associations of the facilities to develop a nationwide, uniform recommendation for heat protection in nursing homes. It would also be possible for these facilities to have a heat officer who implements the recommendations on site.

In addition, the aspect of heat protection is to be included in the revision of the Prevention Act. This will be accompanied by a review of the extent to which continuing education and training for health professionals can address aspects of heat protection.

What to do in hot weather?

So far, only some of the measures in the heat protection plan have been implemented – many things still need to be prepared and tested.

For example, you can take a look at the Climate – People – Health information portal of the Federal Center for Health Education. There you will find recommendations for heat protection.

You can also find tips on how to deal with the heat in everyday life in these articles:

• Circulatory problems in hot weather: tips and home remedies that help
• Tired because of the heat: This is what you can do
• Concentration in the heat: How to stay fit and productive
• Headaches in the heat: 7 quick-help tips

For municipalities, there is the Heat Service contact point, where municipal decision-makers can find practical tools to implement their own heat protection measures.

Read more on Techzle\.com:

• Watering city trees: How to help them in hot weather
• Summer and Psyche: How heat affects your brain
• Siesta in the heat: Why it makes sense

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