DOH to men: Nothing wrong in using umbrellas

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday advised men not to be embarrassed to use umbrellas amid the summer heat.

Jesse Fantone, chief of the epidemiology department of the DOH regional office for Central Luzon, made the appeal after a 38-year-old male employee of Mabalacat City in this province collapsed and died recently because of heat stress.

Fantone said an umbrella offers better protection from the sun’s heat as it can cover more parts of the body than a baseball cap.

He said that contrary to popular belief, umbrellas are not just for women and it does not affect the masculinity of men.

Heat stress occurs when the body cannot cool itself enough to maintain a healthy temperature, according to Fantone.

This can lead to heat rash, heat cramps, dizziness or fainting, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and a worsening of existing medical conditions, Fantone said.

Records of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) showed that temperatures in Metro Manila reached as high as 34.8 degrees Celsius last Saturday.