Heat alarm in Germany: Who protects the weakest in summer?

Heat alarm in Germany: Who protects the weakest in summer?

Deutschland - With the summer in front of the door, the challenges of climate change and its effects on health come into focus again. On May 30, 2025, Karl Lauterbach, the former Minister of Health, once again presented heat protection plans, which he had already presented in the last two summer. These plans aim to prevent fragile groups of people preventive from protecting high temperatures, especially if the thermometers exceed the 30-degree mark. Despite these efforts, however, there are questions about the effectiveness of the measures and the increasing numbers of heat -related deaths. In this context, one is eagerly awaiting how the position of the new Minister of Health Nina Warken on June 4th will design whether she will pursue alarmistic approaches such as her predecessor or want to offer practical advice to better protect the population.

The Ministry of Health published Federal Gesundheitministerium.de Recommendations for the accessibility of vulnerable groups. A particularly important part of these recommendations is the "model heat protection plan for hospitals", which was developed in cooperation with the Hitzschutz Berlin campaign alliance, the German Hospital Society (DKG) and the German Pflegerat e.V. (DPR). This plan includes measures to clarify patients, to identify individual health risks and to create cooling zones in the facilities. It is also recommended to name a responsible person for heat protection and to create individual heat protection plans in care facilities.

reinforcement of heat protection in care facilities

In addition, care facilities and services must create your individual heat protection plans. This includes not only the naming of responsibilities, but also the registration for the newsletter of the heat warning system of the German Weather Service. Facilities should react proactively to the impending heat waves through measures such as darkening and setting up cooling zones. Comprehensive information of those in need of care and their relatives about heat -related risks is also of essential importance, as is explained on the website of the Ministry of Health.
Overall, the Federal Center for Health Education (BZGA) has sent an information package on the subject of "Hitzschutz" to Mayor of all around 11,000 municipalities in Germany to promote broader education.

The importance of communication

Effective address and communication about the dangers of heat is crucial to sensitize the population. According to a report on Federal Gesundheitsministerium.de , there are often target group-specific communication strategies that are necessary in particular in dealing with vulnerable groups to support with heat. A research project pursues the goal of developing recommendations for such a communication concept that also includes people with disabilities. The aim is to contribute to the prevention of heat -related health damage through intensive and targeted information distribution and to better protect the population.

With the upcoming summer time, it is of the utmost importance that both political decision -makers and health institutions continue to work together to effectively implement and evaluate the heat protection plans. The increasing temperatures and the associated risks are challenges that require both prudence and proactive measures.