Skin: Far better covered and not playing with danger

Schools are being urged to slip, slop, slap, seek and slide – despite the best part of a month of winter remaining. The Cancer Council says UV levels rise from August onwards, putting students and staff at risk of skin damage. As of January this year, every public school must have sun protection policies in place for terms 1, 3, and 4, plus any other day the UV radiation level is three or higher. The Education Department did not make hats mandatory but provided schools with the Cancer Council’s SunSmart guides, which say students and staff should wear hats “whenever they are outside”. Cancer Council SA’s cancer education and information manager Joanne Rayner said winter could be deceptive because temperature and UV levels were not related. “Even though it is cold in August, we will receive UV radiation at levels well above three from now until the end of April,” she said. Four out of every five cancer diagnoses are for skin cancer, which kills 2000 Australians each year.

Sunday Mail Adelaide – online here, 6/08/2017, Page 16

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