"Extreme Heat, Climate Change and COVID-19 Pandemic" features Bob Henson, Meteorologist of Yale Climate Connections, and Dr. Laalitha Surapaneni of The University of Minnesota Medical School.
Bob Henson breaks down the definition of extreme heat, the variance in different parts of the country, and the danger of heatwaves. Bob continues to speak about awareness and planning for heat, after a heatwave in 1995 that truly alerted our populations to the consequences of our warming planning. Extreme heat has changed the way we live and our habits, in small and large ways, from water bottles being as common as our wallets, and more concrete cities planting trees. September 2020 was collectively the highest temperature month on record. Bob reminds listeners to take little steps to understand our weather patterns and "stay cool!"
Dr. Surapaneni explains that heat is one of the most direct impacts of climate change on health. There are various ways to look at heat's impact on health, from looking at the numbers of people exposed to extreme heat worldwide, to the number of workforces and laborer hours lost as a result of health. Health costs are also rising with temperatures. Dr. Surapaneni also notes heat impacts pre-existing conditions in her everyday patients, such as a crisis in sickle cell anemia. When we think of extreme heat we must expand our understanding of how it impacts our overall health. Dr. Surapaneni urges listeners to protect themselves by speaking to their primary care physicians, especially during the overlapping crisis of rising temperatures and the COVID-19 pandemic.
