Staying safe even on staycation

The usual summer exodus to warmer shores by air, road or sea will be limited for all of us this year with travel restrictions, border closures, quarantine considerations and restricted places on planes and boats due to coronavirus and enforced social distancing measures. We might like to think that there aren’t the same health risks when staying in the UK but it’s still important to remember some basics.

The impact of global temperature increases

We only have to look at the ‘Mediterranean level’ temperatures during the spring lockdown or the devastating impact of the Australian bushfires just before the global pandemic hit to feel the impact of global warming. Conversely there are some clear environmental benefits to us all being grounded, ranging from the crystal-clear waters of Venice, the reduced pollution around the Taj Mahal to the animals ‘reclaiming’ the streets.

The Met Office has reported that the average global temperatures have risen by more than 1°C since the 1850s with 2015 to 2018 being the hottest years ever recorded.