Cold Health Alert upgraded for Sussex - 'Vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours'

As of midday on Sunday (January 14), the yellow Cold-Health Alerts (CHAs) issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have been ‘upgraded across all regions of England’.

"An amber alert is now in place for the whole of England until midday Friday, January 19,” a UKHSA spokesperson said.

"Under the new CHA system introduced by UKHSA and the Met Office, an amber alert means that cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time, with potential for the whole population to be at risk and where other sectors may also start to observe impacts, indicating a coordinated response is required.”

The amber alert covers all regions: North West of England; North East of England; Yorkshire and the Humber; East of England; West Midlands; East Midlands; South East of England; South West of England and London.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: "The temperatures we will see leading into the week ahead can rapidly have a serious impact on the health of those over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions as it increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections.

“It is therefore vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours to ensure they are well prepared for the cold weather next week.”