DGS recommends hot drinks and less effort outside due to the cold.

This Thursday, the Directorate General of Health recommended that Portuguese people avoid excessive outdoor exercise and drink hot drinks and soups to protect themselves from the negative health effects of the cold.

After the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) warned of a drop in temperatures this week due to the polar air mass, the DGS, in a notice published on its website, warns of the importance of taking some protective measures.

The health authority also recommends focusing on the most vulnerable groups, such as children in their first years of life, chronically ill people, older people or people in more isolated situations, outdoor workers and the homeless.

Keep the body warm by using layers of clothing adapted to the ambient temperature, protect the extremities of the body with gloves, a hat, scarf, warm socks and warm non-slip shoes, and hydrate the body with soups and hot drinks. , avoiding alcohol, here are some of the recommendations.

He also advises Portuguese people to check their heating equipment and keep their homes warm by ensuring their homes are adequately ventilated if they use barbecues or fireplaces.

It also recommends “special attention” to combustion heaters – barbecues and fireplaces – warning they can cause poisoning due to carbon monoxide buildup and lead to death.

He also warns about the importance of avoiding the use of heating devices while sleeping and always turning off any devices before going to bed.

In case of illness, the DHS advises you to contact the SNS 24 line (808 24 24 24), avoiding an immediate trip to the emergency department.

At the start of the week, the IPMA warned that temperatures would drop as the week progressed and could drop by around 7 degrees in some places.

However, he recalled that these are temperatures that are “within the average for this time of year.”