Stay sun safe

Julie Neighbourly Lead from Havelock North

The temperature is rising, rapidly. My house is making those “I’m about to go nuclear” noises and the forecast is for 35°C on Monday.

Stay in the shade, but put sunscreen on 20 minutes (ears, noses, hands, feet, back, front, top, bottom, and everything in between) before you go into the sun or the water. It doesn’t work otherwise. And reapply no more than 2 hourly, staying out of the water and sun for 20 minutes afterwards.

Wear teeshirts and hats. Keep hydrated. Milk keeps you hydrated longer than water. You won’t pee as much. Alcohol dehydrates you. Save that till after the sun goes down.

Reflective sunburn is a thing, too. The sun reflecting off of other surfaces, including water, will burn you as quickly, if not quicker, than direct sunlight. Some reflective surfaces can magnify the suns effect.

If you are taking little ones out in strollers cover them with a light cloth, if you don’t have a stroller cover. A thin sheet will do, but leave the side open for fresh air. And you can get kids sunnies from most emporiums, like 1,2,3 plus or “Everything is $2” or the like.

And if you are going out, secure your windows and doors. Shut the curtains on the sun side to keep it cooler. Opportunists will opportune. And insurance doesn’t like it if you leave the house unsecured.

If you are staying in, open the windows and close the curtains. Make sure you use door jams, or you’ll find doors slamming with the lightest breeze.

Cover pets paws if you are walking them on concrete or bitumen. They will burn badly as the dark ground heats up. You can also get sunscreen for large animals.

Make sure there is plenty of water out for your pets. Cats need at least a cup a day, dogs up to 4 litres.

If you are on a walking route, put out buckets of water for dogs and cats, just to be neighbourly.

This photo was a school afternoon at the village pools.
He ended up with second degree sunburn. The white spots were the blisters forming. The scabs on his back were popped blisters, not just peeling, and he was sick for three days.
It’s no joke. And NZ has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. And skin cancer is a killer.

Check on your friends and family, especially the vulnerable ones.

You all matter. Take care of yourselves and each other.