Ministry issues warnings against ultraviolet rays

Yangon April 27

The Ministry of Health and Sports issued health warnings against exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays as summer has already entered. 

Prolonged human exposure to solar UV radiation may result in acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eye and immune system. Sunburn is the best-known acute effect of excessive UV radiation exposure.

Over the longer term, UV radiation induces degenerative changes in cells of the skin, fibrous tissue and blood vessels leading to premature skin aging, photodermatoses and actinic keratoses. Another longterm effect is an inflammatory reaction of the eye. In the most serious cases, skin cancer and cataracts can occur.

Therefore, the report advised people to abstain from working and travelling under the summer sun as much as they can. Moreover, people should wear hats and take umbrellas to avoid direct contact of sunlight to the face, neck and shoulders when they go outside. Also, people should wear Thanakha and suncream which includes SPF 15+ on hands, neck and shoulders before they go outside. The report also described that the suncream should be worn every two hours. As there is more impact of UV rays upon children rather than adults, infants under one year should not be taken under the sunlight and they should be placed in the shade, said the Ministry of Health and Sports.

“The summertime is from March to May, so now is only the beginning. There is still more time left, and I expect it to become even hotter,” said U Aung Thu who lives in Yangon, adding that temperatures were rising due to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in Southeast Asia.

#Themyawadydaily