Big New Year Freeze: Yellow health alert upgraded to Amber warning for Peterborough
A yellow health alert has been upgraded to an amber warning in Peterborough as freezing weather is set to hit the city.
The UK Health Security Agency issued the yellow warning earlier this week.
Now it has been upgraded.
MORE: Emergency provision for Peterborough rough sleepers to open on New Year's Day 'to preserve life'
The warning says: “The forecast weather is likely to cause significant impacts across health and social care services, including:
– a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. We may also see impacts on younger age groups
– a likely increase in demand for health services
– temperatures inside places like hospitals, care homes, and clinics dropping below the levels recommended for assessing health risks
– challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18°C leading to more risk to vulnerable people
– staffing issues due to external factors (such as travel delays)
– other sectors starting to observe impacts (such as transport and energy)”
With freezing temperatures forecast, Peterborough City Council have said the emergency SWEP provisions, offering assistance to rough sleepers in Peterborough, will be in place from January 1.
The city council’s fleet of gritting lorries will also be out on the roads over the next few days in a bid to keep road users safe.