After nearly twenty years of trading at a small market on Tran Cung Street (Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi), Ms. Thanh Thuy said that the harsh weather of summer has always been a big concern for traders like her.
If at other times of the year, Ms. Thuy can start selling from 4pm, in the summer, this time is forced to be postponed after 5pm to avoid the hot sunlight from the asphalt road.
In the morning, she also had to clear the stall an hour earlier than usual; because after 11 noon, the weather had begun to get hot, the outside temperature increased, causing discomfort.
The shortened sales time during the day means reduced income, but for Ms. Thuy, it is a necessary trade-off to maintain health during the top hot days.
"Because of outdoor trading, the summer weather has a big impact and directly affects my health. The harsh sunshine made me susceptible to headaches. In addition, the slightly hot tunnel from the asphalt road surface makes me always tired" - Ms. Thuy shared.
In addition to delaying sales time, Ms. Thuy has also used other remedial measures, but it is still difficult for her to feel comfortable doing business in the summer.
Ms. Thuy said: "I also try to overcome this by wearing a sunscreen, stretching a large tarpaulin to reduce the sun, and drinking water continuously to avoid dehydration and heatstroke. These measures also only help me feel somewhat more comfortable, not significantly."
Ms. Chu Thi Tham, a trader at a traditional market on Hoang Cong Chat Street (Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi), shared: "I have to use umbrellas, tarpaulins and sunscreen to cope with the weather. On hot days with a peak temperature of more than 40 degrees Celsius, I thought I could faint from losing energy. With such a hot weather, workers on the streets like me are really struggling."
Ms. Tham also said that the harsh heat lasts for many hours every day, causing fresh food to quickly wither and spoil. Therefore, she was forced to shorten the sales time to better preserve the goods.
On June 5, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the temperature in the North and Central regions will tend to increase rapidly in the coming days.
The Northern and Central regions on June 6 are forecast to have localized heat with the highest temperature in some places above 35 degrees Celsius.
The Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC Hanoi) said that the weather in the capital is entering a period of severe heat, with the highest temperature generally from 36 - 39 degrees Celsius, in some places above 40 degrees Celsius. This heat wave lasted for many days, seriously affecting people's health.
At the same time, hot summers not only cause fatigue but also increase the risk of cardiovascular complications such as high blood pressure, stroke, especially in the elderly and people with underlying diseases, in which stroke accounts for the majority (about 80 - 85%), often related to high blood pressure.
The health sector has also issued many recommendations for people to proactively prevent heat.
