Politics & Government

Health Commissioner Issues Sun, Water Safety Tips

Baltimore residents are reminded to stay safe during the holiday weekend.

Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot reminded Baltimore residents to be careful in the sun and water this holiday weekend.

"It is important for everyone to remember to stay healthy and safe under the sun and in the water," Barbot said in a news release. "Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and melanoma is the deadliest kind of skin cancer. Just a few serious sunburns at any age can increase a person’s risk of skin cancer regardless of their race or baseline skin color."

The health department released the following tips:

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Sun Safety Tips:

• Seek shade—especially during midday hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight are the greatest during the late spring  and early summer in North America. 

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• Protect your body by wearing clothing that protects the skin such as a wide-brimmed hat to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.  Use wraparound sunglasses that block as close to 100 percent of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays as possible (sunglasses safeguard the eyes from UVA and UVB rays, protect the tender skin around the eyes from sun exposure, and reduce the risk of cataracts).

• Apply sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection. Remember to reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours and after swimming, sweating, and toweling off.

Water Safety Tips:

• Shower with soap before you start swimming.

• Don’t swallow the water you swim in.

• Keep the poop and pee out of the water while swimming - don’t swim when ill with diarrhea.  Chlorine and other disinfectants don’t kill germs instantly; mixing of chlorine with pee and sweat uses up the germ-killing chlorine in the pool and creates those chemicals that sting your eyes and make you cough.

• Parents of small children should take youngsters on bathroom trips every hour and check diapers every 30 to 60 minutes.

• Take a rinse shower before you get back into the water.

• Wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers.


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