MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UVR red and yellow “lights”

Punta Arenas Regional Public Health Ministry Office reinstated this week the ultra violet radiation, UVR, forecast to protect local residents and keep them away from harmful solar exposure.

According to local authorities this is the time of the year when suns rays in the area drop with greater intensity and therefore is more of a threat for human beings, increased by the rotation of the thinning ozone layer over the extreme south of Chile.

The campaign is launched annually in spring since the heat factor in Punta Arenas does not naturally warn about solar exposure.

The signalling works as traffic lights, when the orange or red lights turn on, avoid sun exposure from 11:00 hours in the morning until 15:00 hours. Besides skin solar protection, hat and sun glasses are recommended at this time of the year.

"Our awareness campaign is all year round, but in 2002 we specifically instructed 2,500 people about the dangers, and consequences, of sun exposure. This year we're adding the ozone alert chapter, which should help residents be fully conscious of the problem", indicated Lida Amarales from the Punta Arenas Regional Health Ministry Office.

The ozone alertness campaign involves research, working with focus groups, much literature distribution and random opinion polls.

"This will help us have an idea of how effective these campaigns are because unfortunately the effects of solar exposure, in most cases, are long term", explained Ms. Amarales.