By Isle of Wight Observer
Temperatures are forecast to reach highs of 25 degrees across the Island in the coming days, with tens of thousands of visitors also expected to arrive for the Isle of Wight Festival, which will be on until Sunday (June 19–22).
While many will welcome the warmer weather, health leaders have urged Islanders and festival-goers to take precautions, with the risk of dehydration, sunburn, heat exhaustion and heatstroke increasing during prolonged periods of heat.
Steve Parker, medical director for the IW NHS Trust, said: “We are forecasting a period of hot weather over the next few days, and are encouraging people to stay safe by taking precautions to keep well. If possible, we advise people to keep out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm.
“If you are heading to the festival this weekend, make sure you drink plenty of water, wear sunscreen and, dare I say, moderate your intake of alcohol.”
He added that older people, babies, young children and those with existing medical conditions are particularly vulnerable to hot weather, and urged people to look after themselves and each other to avoid putting further pressure on NHS services.
Signs of heat-related illness include headache, dizziness, nausea, excessive sweating, muscle cramps, fast breathing, a high temperature, and extreme thirst. Anyone with symptoms is advised to rehydrate, rest in the shade, and seek medical help if they do not improve within 30 minutes.
For non-emergency health advice, residents are advised to use NHS 111 on-line or call 111 for children under five. Local pharmacies can also offer advice. Further information is available via iw.observer/hot-weather-advice.