Kerenites are dealing with a unique public health challenge this winter: poverty, COVID-19, and the flu season at the same time. The colder months make it difficult for less affluent households to appropriately heat their houses, increasing their exposure to health risks. Therefore, it is important to reflect on the worth of our cities and communities, particularly those that are most vulnerable to cold weather, and what can be done to mitigate their dangers.

Practical Health & Wellness Tips

Read on to learn how to stay healthy and active through the winter and protect yourself against cold and COVID-19.

1. Keep It Moving – Exercise is the Key

While venturing outside on cold winter mornings and evenings may seem daunting, the advantages are significant physically and mentally. While movement improves circulation, warms the body, and can assist physical tension release caused by chilly environments, it also produces chemicals that enhance mood and motivation and help us cope with the ups and downs of winter.

Certain chemicals aid in improving sleep, stress, anxiety, allowing you to think more clearly. It will be simpler to motivate yourself to exercise outdoors if you first warm-up indoors. For five to ten minutes, perform some low-intensity activity, such as jogging in place or jumping jacks.

That way, you’ll already be warm when you step outside. Dressing appropriately can also be beneficial. Layer your clothing so that you can remove them as your body temperature rises. Every day, engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity.

2. Dress Appropriately & Protect Your Extremities to Stay Warm

Cold temperatures have the greatest effect on the ears, nose, fingers, and toes because blood is redirected to the body’s core, leaving less blood (and hence less heat) available to the hands and feet.

Wear a cap or headband and gloves or mittens to keep your extremities warm. If you become warm, you can always remove them and tuck them into a pocket. Additionally, thick socks are beneficial. It is best to make these accessories of wool or synthetic material rather than cotton to help wick moisture away from your skin.

3. Take Care of Your Skin & Drink Plenty of Water

Winter air is not only chilly; it is also dry. To avoid your skin drying out as a result of it, drink enough water (about eight 8-ounce glasses each day) and apply a moisturizing cream or lotion. For added protection, use petroleum jelly on sensitive areas such as the nostrils, tip of the nose, and ears.

Consider covering your face with a running mask or scarf to block out biting breezes. Also, keep in mind that it is possible to get sunburn in the winter. Even when the sky is gloomy, UV rays can penetrate and cause harm to the skin. It is advisable to apply sunscreen with an SPF 30 on the face and any other exposed skin if possible.

4. Learn About CO Poisoning Symptoms & Prevention

Carbon monoxide (CO) exposure and poisonings are a public healthcare challenge that occurs more frequently in the fall and winter when people use gas furnaces and heaters. CO is an odorless, colorless gas that is created during the incomplete combustion of gasoline, natural gas, propane, kerosene, and other fuels. It may be produced by small gas engines, camp lights and stoves, charcoal, gas ranges, and furnaces.

In poorly ventilated spaces, dangerous levels of CO can build up in the blood, displacing oxygen and potentially resulting in asphyxiation and death. This makes it important to understand the symptoms of CO poisoning and take appropriate measures to prevent it while keeping your homes warm and comfortable during the colder months.

· CO Poisoning Symptoms

While everyone is in danger of CO poisoning, pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and those with respiratory difficulties are particularly vulnerable. Because CO is colorless and odorless, it is critical to understand CO poisoning symptoms and seek medical attention quickly if they occur.

The most frequently encountered symptoms include terrible headaches and dizziness that affect more than one person in an enclosed area, nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, and the cessation of symptoms upon an individual’s exit from a structure. If you suspect the presence of CO based on these symptoms, extinguish the source and evacuate the area immediately.

· CO Prevention

You can avoid CO poisoning by following basic preventative steps. Some tips for avoiding CO poisoning include the following:

Inspect residences following significant rainfall to ensure that snow has been cleared from around exhaust stacks, vents, and fresh-air intakes.
Consider installing a CO monitor in your home if possible. It can save lives by alerting you of the CO leakage.
Use a generator, charcoal, camp stove, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning appliance outside your home, basement, or garage or close to a window.
Keep generators a minimum of 20 feet away from occupied structures.
Never leave a car or truck running inside a garage attached to your house, even if the door is left open.
Never burn anything in an unvented stove or fireplace.
Avoid using a gas heater to heat your home. If you must use a gas heater, do not leave it running throughout the night.
Seek quick medical assistance if you have dizziness, lightheadedness, or nausea and suspect CO poisoning.

5. Protecting Against COVID-19 In Winters

The coronavirus pandemic continues to rage through the autumn and winter months. This is partially due to the new form of the virus, which is more transmissible than other virus variants. Additionally, experts voiced fear that COVID-19 will alter the routine this winter. Individuals will not only have to contend with periodic flu outbreaks but also with the coronavirus.

COVID-19-related restrictions disproportionately impact people who are already vulnerable. Affordable and clean indoor heating is a critical problem this year in light of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. This increases the amount of time spent at home and amplifies the effect of low interior temperatures and potential indoor air pollution, particularly for low-income families.

What You Can Do

Prolonged exposure to indoor, crowded, and inadequately ventilated spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic may increase the risk of community transmission, as the virus spreads in small liquid particles from an infected person.

These transmission patterns emphasize the significance of adequate internal ventilation throughout the winter, despite the common practice of sealing the house to conserve energy and keep it warm. This is especially crucial in limited floor space, as congestion and the inability to maintain physical distance enhance transmission risk.

Self-care in winters entails following the best healthcare practices to protect yourself and the community. You should also continue to wash your hands with soap, cover your coughs, maintain a safe distance from other people, and use a mask whenever possible.

These steps are critical for breaking the chain of transmission and remain the most effective strategy to protect yourself and other family members – especially during the winter. Proper ventilation in indoor environments will also help safeguard people, especially at this time of year.

Get In Touch With Sham Keren Tsae’da for Healthcare Support

Sham Kern Taeda is an all-inclusive non-profit humanitarian organization dedicated to assisting the impoverished and needy residents of Keren. We need your support and donations to enable our organization to provide financial assistance, educational resources for healthcare-related training, information on immigrant and refugee settlement, and counseling and guiding services to those in need. Reach out to us today to learn more about our services and see how we may be able to help you.