The 6 ‘S’ you need to know in Summer

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MANILA — The weather gets hotter and hotter each day, isn’t it? Whether you are going to the beach or will have a “staycation”, you must be aware that Summer has six “S” that you should avoid.

These are: sore eyes, sun burn, sipon (cold), suka at diarrhea (vomiting and diarrhea), skin diseases, and sakmal ng aso (dog bite).

Sun Burn – This is actually the most common among the six. Summer is the time when everyone seems to be going out for an outing and swimming. Don’t forget to use sun screen with more than SPF 30 (sun protection factor 30). Also, avoid long sun exposure.

Sore eyes – Sore eyes is commonly viral, but there’s also the bacterial type. The Department of Health (DOH) always reminds us the importance of hand washing. Also, if the symptoms are there for more than a day, the DOH advises to seek medical attention immediately.

Sun stroke – Sweat is really unavoidable during summer. With this, please keep in mind to replace the fluids that you loss by drinking eight to 12 glasses (depending on the need) of water. This is not just to prevent dehydration, but to prevent sun stroke, or heat stroke.

Sipon, ubo (cold, cough) – Sipon (cold) and ubo (cough) are other common summer diseases that we should be aware of. We must be cautious and do necessary measures to prevent getting these diseases. As these make one feel so uncomfortable, they might ruin your summer vacation.

Skin diseases – This is commonly due to fungal infection according to Dr. Enrique Tayag of the DOH. Avoid applying advertised creams if you don’t know what these are for. If you think you’re seeing signs of a skin disease, better consult a dermatologist near you.

Sakmal ng aso (dog bite) – This is very common during this time of the year. Perhaps the kids’ school vacation plus the more time they have to spend playing outside are contributing factors to the increasing number of cases of dog bites every summer.

The DOH earlier admitted that public awareness in the country was very low, even down to the LGU (local government unit) level.

But we must also note that the DOH tries to have a more aggressive campaigns to promote dog vaccinations. In rural areas, dogs are usually given vaccine shots.

Based on the 2012 Accomplishment Report of the Bureau of Animal Industry, rabies is the most fatal disease responsible for the death of 200-300 Filipinos every year. It added that one third of these deaths are among four to 14 years old.

Suka, diarrhea (vomiting and diarrhea) – Since there are many fiestas during summer, we should also be cautious of the foods we eat. Take a look at how it was cooked and prepared. Also, the heat during summer season makes the food deteriorate easily, which causes diarrhea.

Once you had diarrhea, make sure to replace the fluid loss. Meanwhile, if a child has diarrhea, it is advisable to consult a physician immediately.

Yes, we must all enjoy summer, but we must not forget to protect ourselves and our families, too.

Taking necessary precautions to avoid these 6 S will surely help us make the most out of our summer break.