🌦️ Staying Safe with Aspergillosis During UK Weather and Health Alerts

People living with aspergillosis—including ABPA, CPA, Aspergillus bronchitis, or those on long-term steroids or antifungals—are especially vulnerable during periods of extreme weather. Understanding official UK weather and health alerts can help you take timely action to protect your lungs and overall health.

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🔔 What Are Weather and Health Alerts?

In the UK, two major bodies issue public alerts:

1. Met Office Weather Warnings

• Focus on immediate weather dangers: storms, heavy rain, wind, snow, ice, and fog

• Issued in yellow, amber, or red based on severity and risk to life

2. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Health Alerts

• Focus on health risks from temperature extremes: heatwaves or cold spells

• Jointly issued with the Met Office as part of the Weather-Health Alerting System

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🟨🟧🟥 What the Colours Mean

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☀️ Heat Alerts and Aspergillosis

Issued from June to September, these alerts warn of high temperatures that may affect health.

🔹 Why Heat Matters:

• Hot, humid air can worsen breathing in people with lung conditions

• Ozone and air pollution often rise during heatwaves, irritating airways

• Aspergillus spores thrive in warm, damp environments, increasing exposure

• People on antifungals (like voriconazole) may be photosensitive and prone to heat rashes

• Steroid users may not regulate temperature well, increasing heat stress risk

🔹 What to Do:

• Stay indoors during the hottest part of the day (11am–3pm)

• Use fans, cool showers, and keep curtains closed in sunny rooms

• Drink plenty of fluids (check with your doctor if you have fluid restrictions)

• Avoid gardening, composting, or opening windows during dry, windy conditions

• Protect your skin if taking sun-sensitive medications

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❄️ Cold Alerts and Aspergillosis

Issued between November and March, these alerts warn of dangerously low temperatures.

🔹 Why Cold Matters:

• Cold air can tighten airways, leading to coughing or wheezing

• Cold increases the risk of chest infections in people with CPA or ABPA

• Damp and mould thrive in unheated homes, raising fungal exposure

• Cold-related stress can worsen cardiovascular strain and fatigue

🔹 What to Do:

• Keep indoor temperature at 18°C or above, especially in the bedroom

• Use dehumidifiers to reduce mould growth

• Check for leaks or condensation, and ventilate bathrooms and kitchens

• Wrap up warmly when going outside—wear a scarf over your nose and mouth to warm the air you breathe

• If you use oxygen or nebulisers, make sure devices are protected from cold damage

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🌪️ Storms, Floods & Other Weather Events

The Met Office issues warnings for:

• Storms (wind, lightning)

• Heavy rain and flooding

• Fog

• Snow and ice

🔹 Risks for Aspergillosis Patients:

• Flooding or roof damage can promote indoor mould

• Disrupted power may affect your oxygen concentrator, fridge-stored medication, or nebuliser use

• Poor air quality may irritate airways

• Increased fungal exposure after water damage or building repairs

🔹 What to Do:

• Make a personal emergency plan (backup power for medical equipment, emergency contact list)

• If your home is damp or recently flooded, ask your local council or housing provider for a mould survey

• Stay inside during high wind or dust storms

• Use an FFP2/FFP3 mask if entering dusty or damaged environments

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🧭 Who Should Be Extra Cautious?

These alerts are especially important for:

• People with CPA, ABPA, or bronchiectasis

• Those on steroids, biologics, or antifungal therapy

• People with adrenal insufficiency or immune suppression

• The elderly, babies, or people with mobility or cognitive difficulties

• People with a history of hospital admissions due to chest infections or exacerbations

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📲 How to Get Alerts

You can receive real-time alerts from:

• Met Office app or website: www.metoffice.gov.uk

• UKHSA Weather-Health Alerts: often shared via NHS, social care, or local authority newsletters ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/weather-health-alerts

• Local news and Twitter/X feeds: follow @metoffice and @UKHSA

• Sign up for health or vulnerability registers if you receive care at home

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✅ Summary: Practical Steps

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📘 Extra Help & Resources

• Ask your GP or hospital team if you can be added to a vulnerability list

• If you’re in social housing, housing officers must act if the home becomes unsafe due to damp or cold

• For support with mould, damp, or heating costs, contact:

  • Citizens Advice

  • Your local council

  • Your respiratory nurse or hospital’s community support team

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