Who doesn’t love summertime? Warm weather, going “up north”, campfires with s’mores, getting out on the boat…and so much more. Don’t let your list get cut short because of accidents or illness. A lot of our favorite summer pastimes have some risks associated with them, but there are so many steps that you can take to keep yourself safe this summer.
No matter what you’re doing outside this season, if you’re outdoors it’s so important to wear sunscreen. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and there are several ways to help prevent it. One simple way to protect your skin is by using clothing to cover your skin – long pants, long sleeves, etc. Additionally, wearing a hat will help protect your face and neck from the sun. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher on exposed skin before going outside, and be sure to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, or after swimming/sweating/toweling off. Protecting your eyes against UV rays by wearing sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays can help prevent cataracts. It’s never to late to change a health habit – try keeping sunscreen with you in a bag, and sunglasses in your vehicle so you’re prepared to protect yourself from the sun at any time.
Sunburns aren’t the only issue with hot, sunny weather – extreme heat can be detrimental. This summer we’ve already seen some hot days, and there may be more ahead. When temperatures rise people can experience heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat rash. In general, watch out for high body temperatures, excessive sweating, headache, red/warm skin, blisters, and confusion as indicators of a heat related illness. To keep cool on hot days be sure to stay in air-conditioning as much as possible and stay hydrated. Additional steps like wearing light/loose fitting clothing, not using the oven, and scheduling outside activities early in the morning or late in the evening are also beneficial.
If you spend time in the woods or around tall grass you might have already found a tick on yourself this year. If you’re planning a day trip or going camping, be sure to prepare to deal with ticks. Before heading out use an insect repellent with 20%–30% DEET, 10–20% Picaridin, 15–20% IR3535, or 30–40% oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin and clothes. Wearing light colored clothing can help you spot ticks that may be on you, so that you can remove then before they bite. Additionally, wearing long pants, long sleeves, and tall socks helps prevent ticks from even getting to your skin. To prevent tick bites, it’s important to check yourself for ticks after spending time in wooded areas, tall grass, or around leaf litter. Additionally, when you get home it’s a good idea to throw your clothing in the dryer for about 10 minutes to kill any ticks that may be on your clothing. If you do find a tick that’s bitten you get a narrow-bladed tweezers and grasp the tick close as possible to the skin. Pull upward and out with a firm and steady tension to remove the tick from your skin.
Whether you spend time on a boat, at the beach, or a pool many of us like to enjoy time in the water on these hot summer days. The CDC has 10 tips to make your time in the water as safe as possible. Learn to swim is number one on their list. If you enjoy water activities, being a strong swimmer is important. Take a friend or family member with you – it’s safer and more fun. Make sure you know your limits, if you get too tired, too cold, to far from others it may be time to stop. Be sure to follow the rules at the beach or pool that you’re at – read signs and stay in designated swimming areas. When you’re boating, skiing, tubing or fishing keep your life jacket on. Currents can change quickly so stay alert, if it becomes difficult move around its time to head back to shore. If severe weather is a risk stay home or head home if you’re already on the water. Avoid messing around – don’t push or dunk others under water. Do not dive into shallow water. Do not float where you can’t swim – check to see if the water is unsafe, too deep, or you’re getting too far from the shore. When everyone is safe, you can relax and have fun.
Our last tip for a healthy summer is getting the COVID-19 vaccine. You can enjoy your favorite activities while keeping yourself and others safe. Green County Public Health is hosting FREE, no appointment, COVID-19 vaccine clinics on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:00am – 4:00pm throughout the month of July and in August clinics will be available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00am – 4:00pm. More information is available on our website: gcpublichealth.org. Have a happy and healthy summer!
— Bridget Craker is the Public Health Educator for the Green County Public Health Department and can be reached at bcraker@greengountywi.org or 608-328-9509.
