UKHSA and the Met Office have issued an amber Cold-Health Alert (CHA) across the North West of England for this week.
After what had been an unseasonably warm and wet December and festive period, it seems the typical winter weather has well and truly arrived now, as a number of weather warnings have been dished out right across the UK for this week – including the amber CHA in the North West, which covers Greater Manchester.
The amber CHA – which also covers the West Midlands, East Midlands, and the South West of England – will stay in place until 12pm this Friday (12 January).
UKHSA and @metoffice have issued an amber Cold-Health Alert for the North West of England, West Midlands, East Midlands and South West of England until 12pm on Friday 12 January. Find out more here: https://t.co/W2FmqSrr56
While it’s only the amber CHA that Greater Manchester residents need to be aware of this week, for other regions in the UK, this alert has been issued on top a Yellow Cold-Health Alert, which still remains in place in the North East of England, Yorkshire and The Humber, East of England, South East of England, and London.
All regions had previously been placed under a yellow alert from 9am on Saturday 6 January, according to the UKHSA, and the Met Office had already been forecasting “a period of lower-than-average temperatures” across this past weekend and this coming week.
But what exactly is an amber Cold-Health Alert? What does it mean? Who is set to be most affected? And what advice is being given out?
Well, under the new CHA system – which was introduced by the UKHSA and the Met Office back in June last year – an amber alert means that cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for “an extended period of time”.
“There is potential for the whole population to be at risk,” the UKHSA warns.
UKHSA and the Met Office has issued an amber Cold-Health Alert for the North West of England / Credit: RawPixel
On top of this, there are other public sectors that may also start to “observe impacts”, and this will ultimately indicate that a “coordinated response is required”.
Speaking as the amber CHA was issued for the North West of England this week, and providing some advice for those who may need it most, Dr Agostinho Sousa, who is the Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “With the Met Office forecasting drops in temperature across the UK into next week, it is important to check in on the wellbeing of those most vulnerable to the cold.
“Cold weather can increase the risks of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections, so it can have a serious impact on health, particularly for older people and those with pre-existing health conditions.”
The UKHSA has issued some top tips which you can use to keep yourself and others safe during periods of cold weather:
Check the weather forecast and the news
Make sure you have sufficient food and medicine
Take simple measures to reduce draughts at home
Keep bedroom windows closed
Wear multiple layers of thinner clothing
If you’re eligible, get vaccinated against flu and COVID-19
Get help if needed – and call NHS 111 or 999 in an emergency
The impactful rain and showers which have been a feature of the new year’s weather will ease with many regions becoming fine and dry over the weekend.
Dr Sousa continued: “Temperatures are expected to turn particularly cold overnight, as we would expect at this time of year.
“So if you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over the age of 65, it is important to try and heat the rooms where you spend most of your time, such as your living room or bedroom, in the coming days.”
Find out more information about staying safe during cold weather here.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
News
More than 100 ‘unsafe’ counterfeit Labubus seized in Oldham
Daisy Jackson
More than 100 counterfeit Labubus and accessories have been seized in Oldham, the council has announced.
The Labubu dolls – a plush collectible with giant smiles and bunny ears – have been seized because they are fake, and unsafe.
The haul of 104 Labubus has been given a street value of between £800 and £1000 – but if they were the real deal, they’d be worth more than three times as much.
The poorly-made figures were being sold for a fraction of the price of a real Labubu, which are manufactured by Chinese company Pop Mart (it’s set to open its second Manchester store in the Trafford Centre next week).
Oldham Council’s Trading Standards team said it seized the counterfeit Labubus from local businesses and found that they were unsafe and poorly made.
Officers raised concerns about the safety of the dolls, which had small parts such as eyes, hands and feet broke off easily, creating a choking hazard.
What a genuine Labubu should look like. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
They were also missing legally required safety marks such as the CE or UKCA labels, and lacked the name and address of a UK supplier, which is another legal requirement.
Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing, said: “Oldham Trading Standards carries out regular checks to help keep unsafe products off the shelves. In this case, these counterfeit toys failed safety standards and have now been removed from sale.
“We know it can be tempting to buy toys that look like a bargain, but parents need to be extra careful. Fake toys like these may be cheaper, but they can put children in real danger if they’re not made to strict safety standards.
“If anyone has concerns about toys they’ve purchased, or if they see unsafe products on sale locally, we’d encourage them to get in touch with Trading Standards through the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.”
Council publishes list of central Manchester roads set to be resurfaced this summer
Emily Sergeant
A list of roads in Manchester that are set to be resurfaced before the summer is out has been published.
Manchester City Council recently asked residents in the region what their priorities were for their community and what issues they wanted to see tackled – and for many, the answer was the quality of the road surfaces.
Since then, the Council says it has been ‘engaged’ in a long-running programme of improvement works throughout the borough.
Now, with just over a month of the summer season left, it has been confirmed that some vital resurfacing works are due to start over the coming weeks in north and central Manchester, bringing a range of improvements to key district roads along with it.
First up, from Saturday 9 August, Hollinwood Avenue is to be resurfaced.
The Council has published a list of Manchester roads that are set to be resurfaced this summer / Credit: MJ Richardson (via Geograph)
Anticipated to take six weeks to complete, this work will be carried out during weekend closures from 8am-5pm, with the road remaining open during the working week.
The closure area will be between Greengates Roundabout and the Oldham boundary at Owler Lane, and a signed diversion route will be in place while work is carried out, and access for residents will be maintained at all times.
Then, starting from Saturday 16 August, resurfacing works will begin on Moss Lane East, between Alexandra Road and Princess Road.
Work will take place between 7am and 5pm on weekdays, and 8am and 5pm on weekends, and during the works, the road will be completely closed – with a signed diversion route in place and access for residents maintained.
As always, disruption is expected and the public is encouraged to plan ahead / Credit: Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
These works are expected to take six weeks to complete, and as with all resurfacing projects, residents should expect some disruption and may need to plan ahead.
The Council is aiming to keep disruption to the public at a minimum, where possible.
“We know how important it is to our residents that key roads are well maintained, which is why were glad to be able to deliver this latest round of improvement works,” commented Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment, and Transport at Manchester City Council.
“I’d like to thank people ahead of time for their patience during the course of these works and would advise them to check when closures will be in place and where the diversions are.”
You can find more information on the resurfacing works on the Council website here.
Emily Sergeant -
8th January 2024 
