Doctors Urge Precautions in Bitter Cold: ‘You can lose fingertips. You can lose toes–or worse’
You might want to wait until Saturday to get those last-minute holiday gifts because the weather through Friday will be bitterly cold and downright dangerous.
The might be sun shining, but don’t let that fool you. The wind chill felt like -28 degrees on Thursday.
“It’s cold. I’ve got four layers on, and I’m still freezing,” said Minneapolis resident Josh Sayotovich.
The subzero temperatures could be dangerous if you spend a considerable amount of time outdoors.
Residents braved subzero temperatures to remove snow from their driveways and sidewalks.
“The wind chill right now is horrible. So, you can get frostbite within five minutes,” said Hennepin Healthcare emergency room Dr. Thomas Masters.
Dr. Masters says several people were admitted over the last couple weeks because of frostbite.
“Frostbite comes in stages. So, frostnip is kind of that initial, our tissues are under stress here, we should probably get rewarmed, and as it progresses, it can march down through deeper tissues and cause worse and worse damages,” he said.
Health experts say most of these injuries can be prevented if you’re prepared. Make sure all skin exposed to the elements, including your face, is covered, and dress in layers.
“If it looks pale and dark and kind of blistered, those are late signs and are very concerning,” explained Dr. Masters. “You can lose fingertips. You can lose toes, or worse, if you’re out there too long.”
See also: MnDOT Expects Snowstorm Cleanup to Take Longer
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