The Directorate-General for Health (DGS) recommends the adoption of additional protective measures, such as water intake, in view of the expected increase in temperature for the next few days, which could reach up to 40 degrees in some locations.
On days of high temperatures, the DGS recommends increasing the intake of water, at least 1,5 liters per day, or natural fruit juices, without sugar, and avoiding the consumption of alcoholic beverages and activities that require great physical exertion, namely sports and leisure activities abroad.
The DGS also advises to give "special attention" to groups most vulnerable to heat, such as children, elderly people, chronically ill people, pregnant women, people with reduced mobility, workers with outdoor activity, physical activity practitioners and isolated people.
Ensure that children frequently drink water or natural fruit juices and that they remain in a cool, airy environment. The same indication is given for the elderly and people who live in isolation.
«Children under six months old should not be subject to direct or indirect sun exposure», reinforces the DGS.
Choosing the hours of lower heat to travel by car and not staying inside parked vehicles exposed to the sun are other pieces of advice that the DGS leaves on its website.
On hotter days, it is advisable to look for cool, airy or air-conditioned environments for at least 2 to 3 hours a day and avoid direct exposure to the sun, especially between 11 am and 17 pm.
“Sunscreen with a factor equal to or greater than 30 must be used and its application renewed every 2 hours and after bathing at the beach or pool”, the DGS also informs.
The health authority also recommends the use of loose, opaque clothing that covers most of the body, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with ultraviolet protection.
Chronic patients or those subject to medication or specific diets should follow the recommendations of the attending physician or the SNS 24 contact centre, through the number 808 24 24 24.
«To protect yourself from the negative effects of intense heat, stay informed, hydrated and cool», reinforces the DGS.
The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere predicts an increase in temperature in the coming days, warning that maximum temperatures could reach values close to 40 degrees.
According to the DGS note, in some areas of the country, the temperature could reach, "occasionally, 44 degrees".
"The nights will have high minimum temperatures, with values above 20 degrees in much of the territory, and may even be 25 degrees in some places in the Algarve, Alentejo and Beira Interior", reads the note.
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