The HeatRisk Tool, a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Weather Service, is now available nationwide. This tool provides a seven-day heat forecast to help individuals understand when temperatures may reach levels that could harm their health. The HeatRisk Tool uses a color-coded system to indicate levels of heat risk, ranging from green at level 0, indicating little to no risk, to magenta at level 4, signaling an extreme risk to individuals, health systems, and heat-sensitive industries.
In addition to providing heat forecasts, the HeatRisk Tool also offers guidance on local air quality. It is designed to assist clinicians in protecting those most at risk of heat-related illnesses, such as pregnant women, children with asthma, and people with cardiovascular disease. Dr. Mallika Marshall is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has been the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. She is board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Marshall also serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and is a contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications.
