Heat health alerts have been escalated across swathes of England as the country braces for further scorching temperatures of up to 34C this weekend. Issued by the UK Health Security Agency, the alerts provide an early warning of when extreme temperatures are likely to impact the health and wellbeing of the population.

Yellow alerts had been in place across England until Monday but were upgraded to Amber on Friday morning for the East and West Midlands, London, the East of England and the South East and South West. An amber alert means there is likely to be a significant impact on health and social care services due to high temperatures, including a potential rise in deaths among those over 65 or with pre-existing health conditions. It also mean the heat could affect the delivery of health services and lead to an increase in the demand for power.

The North East, North West and Yorkshire and The Humber remain under yellow alerts, and all alerts are in place until 9am on Monday.

In response to the amber alert for the West Midlands, Solihull Council and local GPs urged people to take care of themselves and others.

The council said in a statement: “An amber alert indicates that significant impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service due to high temperatures, with potential for the entire population to be at risk.

“Non-health sectors may also start to observe impacts and a more significant coordinated response may be required.”

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued advice on using common medications safely and watching out for side effects in the heatwave.

And Age UK has shared guidance for protecting older people as the heatwave continues to blast Britain. Charity director Caroline Abrahams said: “Many parts of the country are about to embark on a prolonged period of extreme heat.

“When this happens, we especially worry about older people living in poorly ventilated modern homes which were built primarily to ward off the cold. It can become unbearably hot and stuffy after a few days so please do look out for any older people you know in this situation.

“The offer of the loan of a fan or of spending some time in a cooler environment would not only be kind, it could also make a real difference to their health and wellbeing.”

Age UK’s advice on how to keep cool in hot weather

The charity also shared 10 top tips to help older people stay safe. These are:

1. If you have neighbours or relatives who live alone and who are frail or coping with health issues, visit or phone to check that they are OK. Especially if they are at higher risk of becoming unwell in extreme temperatures, and if you are at higher risk, ask them to do the same for you.
2. Stay inside during the hottest time of the day — 11am to 3pm. If you do go out use sunscreen of factor 30 or above, wear a hat and keep in the shade if possible.
3. When inside, try to keep your house cool. Keep curtains and blinds closed in rooms that catch the sun and shut windows during the day to keep hot air out and cool air in. Open windows in the evening when the temperature has gone down. Identify the coolest room in the house so you know where to go to keep cool.
4. Have cool baths or showers and splash yourself with cool water. Sprinkling clothes with water regularly, splashing cool water on the face and a damp cloth on the back of the neck helps temperature regulation.
5. Change the timings of activities — If you have a routine walk that you like to take, make sure you do this at a different time of the day when it is cooler such as in the early morning or evening. Also limit or avoid strenuous activities like housework and gardening.
6. Stay hydrated — it’s important when it’s hot to increase our water intake. So, continue to drink water throughout the day even if you aren’t thirsty. Limit drinks with alcohol as these can increase the risk of dehydration.
7. Eat normally but try to have more cold foods, particularly salads and fruits as they contain a lot of water.
8. Choose the right clothes, it may sound obvious, but light-coloured, loose cotton clothing can help you stay cool in the heat. Dark colours absorb the light and can make you feel even warmer.
9. Check for weather forecasts and temperature warnings on TV, radio and online on the Met Office website.
10. Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and what to do if you or someone else has them.