With warmer weather and the Easter holidays on the way there are some key things for residents and visitors to be aware of to make the most of the outdoors.
Cornwall Council’s public health team has some safety tips for when you're out in the countryside, visiting animal attractions or, if the weather is especially nice, getting out the barbecue.
Cornwall Council and the Isles of Scilly Interim Director for Public Health, Eunan O’Neill said:
“Now we’re heading into the warmer months we see lots of families getting outside and enjoying all the lovely activities that Cornwall has to offer.
“This is just a reminder to think about things like hand hygiene when visiting animal attractions such as petting zoos, making sure your barbecue is thoroughly clean after being in storage, as well as making sure your food is fully cooked before eating.
“Even though we’re not into the summer months, remember the sun can still do damage to your skin so we’d recommend a factor 30 sun cream for maximum protection to help avoid sunburn.”
Cornwall Council’s website has a lot of useful information available on these subjects, along with information on how to stay safe in the water and how to be aware of ticks in the countryside.
Public Health information pages
Protecting your skin and staying hydrated:
- Apply sunscreen of at least factor 30. Remember to reapply if you have been in water. Find out more on the NHS website
- Make sure you take water with you if you are travelling
Advice on sunscreen and sun safety from the NHS
Food hygiene basics:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before and after cooking and eating - particularly if you've been handling raw meat or firelighters.
- Keep food covered and chilled until you are ready to cook it.
- Keep utensils and serving dishes clean – make sure you don't mix up the utensils you're using to prep uncooked food and raw meat with those you use for ready-to-eat dishes.
- Never wash raw chicken or any other meat - you risk splashing germs onto your hands, utensils and worktops.
- Defrost any frozen meat fully in the fridge before cooking.
- Cook meat thoroughly to kill any bacteria – chicken, pork, and minced products should never be served pink or rare.
Find more on the Food Standards Agency website
Barbecues:
- Ensure you dispose of barbecues safely and take your rubbish home with you.
- In the unfortunate event a burn occurs – cool the area with water for a minimum of 20 minutes and seek medical attention at your nearest minor injuries unit.
For more information on treating burns and scalds see:
If you're staying in the garden for a barbecue, check out our:
Water Safety:
- Water does not need to be moving very fast to sweep you off your feet. There may be strong currents even in still water.
- Drinking alcohol severely affects your hazard perception, co-ordination and resistance to the cold.
- Don’t assume because you can swim in a pool that you can deal with the challenges and temperatures of open water swimming.
- If you're heading to the beach, choose a beach patrolled by RNLI lifeguards and follow the flag system.
RNLI - Find your nearest patrolled beach
Getting close to nature:
Tick Awareness and Lyme Disease
Take Your Medication:
- If you take regular medication, don’t forgot to pack and bring them with you on holiday. And remember to ask for any prescription refills you may need before bank holiday weekends.
- If you are unable to access your GP, you can get an emergency supply of most prescription medicines from your local pharmacy to tide you over.