Shirley Galka and her dog Freddy enjoy walks in the cold.
“They’re going to be shortened so that neither of us feels the pain that much,” she said about plans for this weekend when temperatures are expected to plummet below zero.
Doctors say extended exposure to the extreme cold makes you vulnerable for frostbite and hypothermia.
“That’s where your body temperature, your core temperature, drops below normal,” said Dr. David Buono, the chief of emergency medicine at the Hospital of Central Connecticut.
The very young and very old are the most at risk for cold related illnesses, Dr. Buono said.
“Also, certain people with medical conditions like diabetes and heart disease where they have poor circulation,” Dr. Buono added.
If you suffer from hypothermia, Dr. Buono said you should not start the re-warming progress at home.
“It’s really just take off your wet clothing, take off any tight or restrictive clothing and come to the ER,” Dr. Buono said.
Having checked the forecast for the weekend, Karen Guerette made sure to go for laps Thursday morning around New Britain’s Walnut Hill Park.
“Three layers on, with the scarf and you know long johns,” she said, adding she never leaves home without her winter hat.
“When your head is warm I feel like you’re the warmest,” Guerette said.
When bundling up, Dr. Buono said it is better to wear loose layers because tight fitted clothing can restrict blood circulation.
