ESSEX residents are in for a scorcher as the first heat-health alert of the year has been issued by the Met Office and UK Health Security Agency.

The national agencies have issued a yellow alert for the East of England lasting from 9am on Friday, June 9, to 9am on Monday, June 12, with temperatures of up to 30 degrees predicted.

Dr Andrew Kelso is the NHS medical director for the Suffolk and north east Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB).

He offered advice to help people keep safe and well as temperatures looked set to exceed those in Portugal, Spain and the south of France.

Gazette:

Dr Kelso said: “Dehydration in older people can cause dizziness and light headedness and is a major cause of falls and fractures.

“Older people often experience a reduced sensation of thirst, meaning they don’t realise they need a drink.

“This particularly affects those with Alzheimer’s disease or those who have suffered a stroke.”

The Met Office defines a heatwave as when a location records a period for at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold.

The threshold varies by UK county, ranging between 25C and 28C in areas in England and Wales.

Temperatures in coastal hot spots like Clacton and Frinton are set to reach highs of around 24 C with Colchester topping out at 25C.

Beachgoers in these areas and others including Brightlingsea Lido, which is expecting large numbers of visitors at the weekend.

On re-opening, a spokesman for Brightlingsea Lido said: “We’ve been incredibly busy getting everything ready to go as every year we look to improve the lido.

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“As the weather improves, we hope lots of people can come down and enjoy the lido but stay safe at the same time.”

Dr Kelso added: “Family members and carers should be aware of the symptoms of dehydration which includes sluggishness, confusion, dizziness and dark urine.

“Don’t rely on an older person telling you they are thirsty, instead ensure they are having a drink at specific times of day whether they are thirsty or not.

“Preventing dehydration can be life saving.”