Preventive Measures against Heat Contribute to Health Protection

(Image: Pixabay CC0) - On behalf of the Federal Office of Public Health, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) analysed the health consequences of the hot and dry summer of 2019 and compared it to the hot summers of 2003, 2015 and 2018. The results were published this week in the report "Health effects of heat in Switzerland and the importance of prevention measures". The report shows that high temperatures are a strain on health and cause additional deaths, and that preventive measures contribute to protecting the population from heat-related health hazards. High temperatures cause additional deaths. This is shown by the previous analyses of the hot summers of 2003, 2015 and 2018 as well as the analysis of the hot summer of 2019. (Photo: Myriam Zilles, Pixabay) The summer of 2019 has been the third hottest summer in Switzerland since systematic measurements began in 1864. Switzerland was hit by a 7-day heat wave both at the end of June and at the end of July with mean daily maximum temperatures of 32-34°C.