Healthy Surrey:

Healthy Surrey

Staying safe and well in winter

Information and advice to help you take action to stay well and healthy during the cold weather.

Updated 7 January 2025

Cold weather can make some health problems worse and even lead to serious complications, especially if you are 65 or older, or if you have a long-term health condition. This page includes information on how to stay well and healthy during the cold weather, protecting yourself and the NHS.

Contents


Vaccinations

Getting your flu and COVID-19 vaccines are two of the most important things you can do to keep yourself and others around you safe this winter.

The UK Health Security Agency has a blog series about why vaccinations are recommended:

Flu vaccinations


COVID-19 vaccination

Visit the NHS website to find out how to get your COVID-19 vaccination, read about the vaccines and find out what happens when you have your coronavirus vaccination.

The Surrey Heartlands webpages on the winter 2024 COVID-19 campaign can be found at Surrey Heartlands COVID-19 vaccination programme.


Other vaccinations for children, adults and pregnant women

It's important that vaccines are given on time for the best protection, but if you or your child miss a vaccine, contact your GP to catch up. More information can be found on vaccination and immunisation.


Pharmacy advice

Help us help you. Speak to your local pharmacy team about minor health concerns before they get worse.

Get help early, if you are feeling unwell, don't wait, go to your nearest pharmacy. More information can be found on Pharmacy First, a new service provided by NHS England to help you get access to the right care from the right person at the right time for seven common conditions that require advice and treatment. To avoid a delay in your treatment, you can go straight to a pharmacy offering Pharmacy First, or be referred by your GP Practice, NHS111 or another medical or emergency care setting.

Why visit the pharmacy

Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals with the clinical know-how to give you the help you need. They can assess your minor illness and recommend the right treatment, whether it's over the counter medicines, a few days rest or a bit of reassurance. Most people live within easy reach of one, and with many not offering longer opening hours, it is easier to get the help and advice you need without having to book an appointment and without the need to go to your GP or A&E.

What pharmacists can help with

They are the right people to see for minor health concerns such as:

  • Sore throats
  • Coughs, colds and flu
  • Tummy troubles
  • Aches and pains
  • Red eyes
  • Sleeping problems
  • Athlete's foot
  • Mouth ulcers
  • Constipation and diarrhoea

The quickest way to get the help you need.


NHS 111

Think you need medical help right now? Go straight to NHS 111, which is available on the phone and online. NHS 111 online can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

NHS 111 is there for when you need medical help fast for when it is not a life threatening emergency. For emergencies, call 999.

How NHS 111 works

You will be asked questions about your symptoms on the website or by speaking to a trained adviser on the phone. Depending on the situation, you will then:

  • Find out what local services can help you
  • Be connected to a nurse, emergency dentist, pharmacist or GP
  • Get a face to face appointment if you need one
  • Be told how to get any medicine you may need
  • Get self-care advice

Keeping warm and well

One of the best ways to keep healthy during winter is to stay warm. This means keeping your home warm, at a minimum of 18°C (65°F) if you can. Respiratory diseases, such as asthma, are made much worse living in a cold home. The Met Office website provide weather forecasts, including severe weather warnings, to keep you prepared for all weather during the winter period.

The NHS have many suggestions on how to keep warm during this weather, including more information on keeping your home warm, help with heating costs, protecting your health and looking out for others. The gov.uk website also has further tips and resources on keeping warm and prepared for the cold weather.

Local support to stay warm

Living in a cold damp home can be very damaging to your physical and mental health, making health conditions such as respiratory diseases, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, worse. The good news is, there is support out there to help keep your home warm:

  • Support is available to help you through this winter. Please visit health and welfare support for more information.
  • For advice on how to reduce your energy use and carbon footprint, call Action Surrey on 0800 783 2503 to speak with an energy advisor or email them at info@actionsurrey.org. Contact Action Surrey – Surrey's Low Carbon Community
  • Age UK Surrey provide information to help people stay safe, warm and well in the winter, including money saving tips and advice on benefits and grants, advocacy and counselling
  • If you or your partner receive certain benefits, such as pension credits, payments are available from the government, including the winter fuel payment (Tel: 0800 731 0160) and cold weather payment. For more information on pension credits, please visit pension credit advice on Age UK's website. There's also a service for getting a free energy efficiency survey done for your home called Home Energy Advice Taskforce (HEAT).

Being cold can raise the risk of increased blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. There are many things you can do to help:

  • Keep active when you are indoors - try not to sit still for more than an hour, keeping your body moving will keep you warm. There are many ways you can keep active.
  • Look after yourself - eating well can help improve your wellbeing, manage weight and reduce the risk of developing illnesses and diseases. Food is a vital source or energy, which helps keep the body warm.
  • Look after your mental wellbeing - if you are feeling low, see ways you can improve your mental wellbeing through self-help methods.
  • Look out for others - remember that other people, like older neighbours, friends and family members, may need a bit of extra help and care over the winter period. Check on them when you can.
  • Stock your medicine cabinet up for winter - your pharmacist can advise you on which medicines you should have, to help you get you and your family through the winter season. Most winter illnesses can not be treated by antibiotics.

Surrey Warm Welcome Venues

Surrey Warm Welcome Venues will run once again this winter as places within the local community where people can enjoy a safe, warm and friendly environment in which to enjoy a hot drink, social activity and receive energy/debt information and advice. The service is open to all and is particularly beneficial to residents in hard to heat homes, those who are isolated, or those worried about their energy bills.

Visit the Warm Welcome Venues webpage to find your nearest location.

Prevent the spread of winter bugs

Bugs such as cold and flu viruses are easily spread to others. Three simple steps, Catch It, Bin It, Kill It, can help these from spreading:

  • Catch it - germs spread easily, always carry tissues and use them to catch your cough or sneeze
  • Bin it - germs can live for several hours on tissues, dispose of your tissue as soon as possible
  • Kill it - hands can transfer germs to every surface you touch, wash your hands with soap and water regularly

There are a number of simple actions you can take to reduce the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, and protect those at highest risk. For more information see the UK Health Security webpage Get Winter Strong: revisiting respiratory infection guidance for a safer season.

You can reduce the likelihood of your child developing or spreading the infection by:

  • Using disposable tissues to cover your child's nose and mouth when they sneeze or cough.
  • Washing hands frequently.
  • Washing and drying eating utensils, toys, surfaces regularly.
  • Keeping infected children at home until their symptoms have improved.

Be prepared

The emergency planning pages of the Surrey County Council website have information on what to do in case of severe weather or an emergency and includes further winter advice. In the event of an emergency or local disaster, Surrey's Crisis Fund can help provide support for immediate needs after a disaster or in an emergency, where no other options are available.

Flooding

Flooding can cause a range of health problems.

Do you and your family know what to do if there is a flood? Create a flood plan and include details on which belongings, electrical items and/or furniture you would want to move to safety, as well as what to take with you should you need to evacuate your home. Being prepared is vital. You can check for flooding in your area and sign up for flood alerts.

The Environment Agency have general tips and advice for creating a flood plan. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides guidance on flood advice, how you can help others, information on how to clean up your home safely and questions and answers about health. Further information on how to keep communities and homes safe can be found on Surrey Prepared.

Mosquito bite avoidance - advice for travellers

Most of us enjoy travelling, seeing and learning about other parts of the world. By taking sensible precautions we can enjoy our holidays safely. In many countries, mosquito bites can spread diseases like chikungunya, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, malaria, West Nile virus, yellow fever and Zika. They can result in serious illness and some may even be fatal.

  • Mosquitoes that spread chikungunya, dengue, West Nile virus, yellow fever and Zika mainly bite during the day and at dusk.
  • Mosquitoes that spread malaria mainly bite in the evening and at night.

Avoid insect bites at all times including during the day.

1. What to do before travelling

  • Check travel health advice for your destinations at Travel Health Pro
  • See your practice nurse, GP, pharmacist or a travel clinic at least 4-6 weeks before travel for appropriate advice
  • If you have health problems, are pregnant or planning pregnancy it is important to seek this pre-travel advice 6 to 8 weeks before travel

2. Three ways to avoid mosquito bites

  • use the recommended repellent, for example, with 50% Deet
  • use the repellent day and night, indoors and outdoors, on any exposed skin
  • cover-up with clothing
  • use an insect treated mosquito net when sleeping outdoors or in accommodation without air conditioning

3. If you feel unwell

  • If you visit a malaria risk country and have a fever (38˚C or more), flu-like symptoms or any unusual symptoms during or after travel you must get urgent medical attention
  • Don't wait until you return to the UK if you are unwell; get medical help abroad
  • If you are ill after you return, tell your doctor about the trips you took in the past year

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