Italy is loved by Britons, in part, for its food and booze, with Prosecco to wash down pizza and Aperol spritz adding an edge to that arancini. Yet UK travellers headed to the European country are being urged to “avoid” the delicious tipples altogether for safety reasons – with the mass heatwave to blame. Temperatures could reach 40 degrees Celsius in the scorching spate of European weather, affecting France in particular yet spread across the entirety of the region. Yesterday, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office updated its advice to UK travellers headed to Italy this week and weekend.
It stated: “Extreme temperatures are expected across Italy over the last week in June.
“During a heatwave you should drink water regularly and avoid strenuous activity and alcohol.”
This means Britons may potentially have to go tee total in order to avoid dehydrating in the sheer heat.
In order to guarantee healthcare abroad, should Britons feel unwell in the heat, more advice was issued.
It stated: “The EHIC entitles you to state provided medical treatment that may become necessary during your trip.
“Any treatment provided is on the same terms as Italian nationals.
“If you don’t have your EHIC with you or you’ve lost it, you can call the Department of Health Overseas Healthcare Team (+44 191 218 1999) to get a Provisional Replacement Certificate.”
Meanwhile, Express.co.uk yesterday reported how Cold Shock had claimed three victims in France as the heatwave took its toll.
The FCO had updated its travel advice for France and stated: “Extreme temperatures are forecast across most of France in the last week of June, with daytime temperatures over 40ºC and overnight temperatures over 20ºC in parts of the country.
“The French authorities have issued advice on sensible precautions to take.
“Cities may limit vehicle access to town centres and main roads, including the Paris region.”
Meanwhile, to protect against Cold Shock, Britons should take some advice from the RNLI.
Cold shock is described as the response of organisms to sudden cold, especially cold water.
In humans, cold shock response is the most common cause of death from immersion in very cold water.
This can happen quite easily in summertime, if tourists are dipping in the sea to cool off after sunbathing.
The RNLI has advised how floating is the best technique should Britons be struck by cold shock.
In a video posted on the website, Professor Mike Tipton said of the shock: “You have to fight that natural urge to thrash about or swim around.
“It’s much safer to relax and try to float for the 90 minutes it takes for cold shock to disappear.”
