More Americans Are Dying From the Heat Than Ever Before, Study Says

A new study recently suggested that heat is currently considered an underrated killer in the United States. Researchers said records of death have indicated that heat is killing hundreds of Americans every year.

However, moderate heat may have indeed killed over 5,000 Americans yearly. More so, social distancing measures of COVID-19, the researchers added, "May make keeping cool more difficult this summer."

Most of the demises moderately warm weather have been recorded, instead of an extremely hot one-classifications which the said researchers identified by the "use of normal temperatures" in a given location.

According to Kate Weinberger, a researcher and occupational and environmental health assistant professor from the University of British Columbia School of Population and Public Health, "How dangerous a hot day is" may rely on one's area of residence.

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Hot Weather in One Area, Different from the Other

Weinberger also said that a "90-degree Fahrenheit day in Seattle might be hazardous," but in Phoenix, it's different. One of the aspects giving light to this phenomenon is opposing levels of heat adaptation.

For instance, the researchers said, air conditioning is quite more typical in locations such as Phoenix experiencing hot weather often against areas such as Seattle that has colder climates.

Essentially, the researchers used data which the US National Center for Health Statistics reported on deaths in the most populated countries between 1997 and 2006.

Relative to the said statistics study, the researchers projected that "moderate heat killed over 3,000 people each year," in nations indicated in the study, and life-threatening heat, killed almost more than 2,000 individuals every year.

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COVID-19, Making it More Difficult to Stay Cool this Summer

Such approximations do not rely on any individual, acknowledging that a "given death was because of too much heat." Therefore, they are probably closer to the real number compared to past estimates. This was according to the Boston University of Public Health Climate and Health Program, Gregory Wellenius.

In a news release, Boston University issued, Wellenius said, heat is exceptionally hazardous to the health of today's families and communities.

Public health officials, the statement indicated, have accountability to enact "heat action plans," as a lot of communities worldwide already have "to caution residents ahead of days" of excessive heat. The action plans would aim to help residents, too, in coping with the heat and minimizing health dangers.

Nevertheless, the research indicated COVID-19 would make it much more challenging to keep cool during this hot season. Wellenius explained further that offering "publicly-accessible air-conditioned spaces during summer or hot days "currently carries added dangers and needs new procedures for retaining people's safety from both contagion and heat.

Similarly, with a lot of malls, restaurants, offices, stores, commercial buildings, and other establishments still closed this summer, citizens are a bit more dependent on home air condition than ever.

Given the high joblessness rates, specifically among the susceptible communities, there may seem an even more tremendous effect on the health of people this hot summer season. 

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