What’s your best advice for staying safe outside when the temperatures go well below freezing?

Gloves and dry socks are the best way to beat frost nip and bite. Nip occurs before bite. If you picture your extremities in layers, frost nip happens when the first few layers of tissue are frozen. For frost bite, the entire body part, most commonly fingers and toes, is frozen through and tissue begins to die. If you suspect frost nip or bite, run the extremity under warm water for 20 minutes. Never use hot water or rub the finger or toes to increase circulation. If after 20 minutes there is pain or no feeling at all, it’s time to head to the emergency center or a certified urgent care facility like Lakes Urgent Care. With hypothermia, your body gives plenty of warning to get warmed up before serious problems set in. We see hypothermia in our more vulnerable populations such as the elderly, those who are significantly immunocompromised, those with dementia and those with mental illness. Depending on their mental status, they might not know they’re cold, which can lead to hypothermia.