Winter is here – with a health warning
If you hadn’t already guessed it, winter is here. But don’t panic – the Metereological Services tell us that it won’t be exceptional.Winter 2010 will be a normal one, says Mrs Vandana Gaonjur.
A report of the Met on the outlook for Winter 2010 underlines that during such winters, there are some characteristics which keep repeating themselves.
“Anti-cyclones will follow at more or less regular intervals of six to nine days, on some occasions causing rough seas with heavy swells.”
Mrs. Gaonjur says that day and night temperatures will be “close to normal”.
“In between anticyclones, light winds and clear skies will dominate and may result, on a few occasions, in minimum temperatures dropping to about 10 degrees Celsius in the inland parts of the island.”
According to the Met., the normal values of winter rainfall over Mauritius and Rodrigues are 665mm and 380mm respectively. However, most of the winter rains will be concentrated to the east, south and the central plateau.
“Occasionally, during periods of strong anticyclones in the months of July and August, rather strong trades over the Mascarenes will provoke wet and chilly conditions, thus increasing the sensation of cold,” she explained.
Strong wind gusts of 90 kilometers per hour, which are usually experienced especially in July and August, will be less frequent. And as the seasons changed, Mauritians have been cautioned to take the “normal” precautions against illness.
Dr Zouberr Joomaye, spokesperson of the Private Medical Practitioners Association (PMPA), told NEWSNOW yesterday that winter provokes pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma.
There are infections in the air such as flu and one must be protected from it. He underlined some basic precautions that everyone, particularly the elderly and small children, should take.
Due to the constant mutation of the virus, Dr Joomaye urged the elderly to get vaccinated as they are vulnerable, especially those who already have health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and lung problems.
The service is being offered free to those over 60 by the Ministry of Social Security. The doctor stressed that children are prone to infection during this climatic change and he urged parents to keep the children away from humidity and to make them wear warm clothes.
“As codliver oil is very effective, children should drink this to get more resistance,” he advised.
http://www.newsnow.mu/NewsView.asp?NID=5922
By Rakshita Ramessur
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