Health institute issues heat warning as temperatures set to soar

The public health institute RIVM has issued a national heatwave warning for the whole country from Thursday, as the Netherlands heads into several days of hot weather.

The decision was taken after consultation with the KNMI weather service, which has issued a code yellow warning everywhere except the Wadden Islands from
Thursday morning. Temperatures are forecast to climb well above 27° on Thursday and past 30° on Friday, with more warm days expected to follow.

The warning tells informal carers and care professionals to pay extra attention to people who are more at risk in the heat — an approach RIVM has linked to fewer heat-related deaths.

RIVM says people aged 75 and over are the largest vulnerable group, because they are less able to regulate their body temperature and feel thirsty less quickly.

Others at risk include people with a chronic illness, those living in social isolation, homeless people and very young children. They can develop tiredness, headaches and trouble concentrating, and face a greater risk of dehydration and heatstroke.

The institute advises carers to make sure vulnerable people drink enough, to keep homes cool by closing curtains and using a fan or air conditioning, and to limit going outside to the early morning or the evening.

The plan is activated when a spell of sustained or extreme heat is forecast. RIVM says that decision rests not only on daytime temperatures but also on night-time temperatures, humidity and how hot it feels.