ALERT: Expert advice on how to stay safe during the cold snap amid STATUS ORANGE warnings

The HSE have advised everyone to:

If your water supply is disrupted due to severe weather, the HSE provide health advice on drinking water supplies and more information on keeping well this winter on www.hse.ie.

More advice from the HSE:

READ NEXT: RTE viewers left heartbroken by Tommy Tiernan Show moment as chat show returns

• Medical appointments: If travel services or roads are disrupted due to bad weather, you may need to change planned visits to hospital or other health centres for appointments or even a planned operation. If severe disruption occurs, some health services may have to change their operating times. If you have a question about any planned appointments, please phone the hospital or facility that you are due to attend to check on any changes to services.

• Preventing trips and falls: Emergency Departments around the country can be busy in severe weather, dealing with sprains and fractures as a result of slips and falls on icy roads and footpaths. While both young and old present to Emergency Departments as a result of falls on ice, as we get older a fall can result in broken bones, a loss of confidence, loss of mobility and fear of leaving the home. Many falls can be prevented and by making small changes we can reduce the chances of falling.

Frost and icy stretches continue over the coming days. Our injury units are available to treat injuries such as broken bones, sprains and strains in case of a slip or fall.

Find your nearest injury unit: https://t.co/PY3HlFTFGT pic.twitter.com/0ZYsKxQUd1

— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) January 7, 2025

Keeping well and warm:

• keep warm, eat well and avoid unnecessary travel. You should eat regular hot meals and drink plenty of fluids, this will keep you warm and will give you energy to keep active.
• Ensure you have sufficient supplies of food and of any prescription medicine you may need
• Keep active indoors
• Have sufficient fuel supplies to maintain adequate heating in your home
• Ask your relatives and neighbours for help if you need it.
• Keep their phone numbers on a list beside your phone

The HSE also provide a leaflet, ‘Keep Safe This Winter – Preventing Falls and Trips’, which is available on their website.

For more information visit gov.ie