Statement on Establishment of Public Health Protection Guideline for Cold Spells - China

Cold spells are extreme weather events characterized by the invasion of cold air from high latitudes into the middle and low latitudes, resulting in significant cooling. Cold spells have various adverse health effects, including epidermal damage, respiratory tract spasms, respiratory immune abnormalities, acute cardiopulmonary diseases, and exacerbation of urinary and endocrine disorders. In response to the frequent cold spells in recent years, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration has issued the "Public Health Protection Guideline for Cold Spells" on December 13, 2023 (1). The Guideline aims to provide guidance to the public on how to cope with cold spells effectively, enhance self-protection awareness, and minimize health damage caused by cold spells. The Guideline consists of five parts, covering the basic concept of cold spells, the main health risks associated with them, the vulnerable groups, warning signals, and graded protection recommendations for different population groups. It emphasizes the definition of cold spells, their multi-system health effects (respiratory, cardiovascular, urological, etc.), prioritizes the groups that require comprehensive protection, provides scientific information on cold spell forecasts and warnings, and proposes targeted health protection recommendations for major sensitive groups