BBC News | UK | The real dangers of the millennium

BBC News Online: UK

Wednesday, 8 December, 1999, 14:37 GMT

The real dangers of the millennium

With just a few weeks left to the big Y2K, UK emergency planners are now more worried about salmonella than failing computer chips.

While most people's attention has been focused on hi-tech problems, a host of more everyday concerns have been highlighted by officials.

As well as the risk of food poisoning from dodgy cowboy caterers on New Year's Eve, they are also concerned by the dangers of hypothermia and even an escalation in domestic violence.

Out cold

Hypothermia - a lowering of the body's core temperature - can be lethal. Doctors are worried that alcohol-fuelled celebrations could turn to tragedy if people aren't careful.

The concern is that revellers could quickly succumb to the silent killer, especially if they get wet and stay wet afterwards.

Hypothermia occurs when the body loses more heat than it can produce. New Year temperatures vary between a chilly 4C and a freezing -1C.

Wind chill can take that temperature down even further. For example, at 0C, a 40kph (25mph) wind causes the body to feel an equivalent temperature of -16C.

Warning symptoms of hypothermia include violent shivering, drowsiness and slow mental responses.

How to avoid hypothermia
Don't get wet and stay out in the cold Don't ignore warning signs Avoid excess alcohol
Do keep an eye on the vulnerable

But victims of hypothermia may not even realise the danger they could be in. Alcohol and excitement can conspire to create an illusion of warmth, when in fact the body's core temperature is about to drop to danger levels.

"Fall asleep in that state and you have real problems," says GP Dr Martin Willis, who runs a busy inner city practice in London. "The victim may quite simply not wake up again. So if you're with someone who's the worse for drink, make sure they're not - quite literally - out cold."

Warm bugs

Environmental health experts are more worried about the food we will eat on the night. One concern is the possibility that fly-by-night food vendors will take advantage of the celebrations, without paying proper regard to food hygiene rules.

And the bigger worry is food hygiene in homes and village halls. Throughout the country environmental health teams will be on standby in case of a major food poisoning incident.

The two worst risk areas are mixing cooked and uncooked foods, cooking food too far in advance and leaving food out for too long before eating it.

Food Hygiene Tips
Don't prepare food too far in advance Don't leave food standing in a warm room before it is eaten.
Avoid contaminating prepared food Do make sure that food is cooked thoroughly

"People often pull food out of the fridge to make room for drink. That's just asking for trouble, because the warm food acts like a magnet for nasty bacteria," says Allison Stratford, environmental health manager at Waverley Borough Council in Surrey.

Tensions foster violence

Another millennium worry is the possibility of an increase in the level of domestic violence. Refuge groups and councillors report an increase in the number of incidents of domestic violence at Christmas.

With the longer holidays than normal, they are expecting worse this year.

"Alcohol and recreational drugs, families being thrown together for long lengths of time, and economic or social stresses can all be triggers." says Denise Knowles, a Relate councillor from Northamptonshire.

She suggests co-operation, pre-planning and keeping the alcohol consumption down as solutions to the millennial flare-up. Deep breathing and counting to ten before exploding can also help.

Internet Links: Relate Hypothermia background Food safety guide
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