As the United States suffered through a summer of pandemic-related shutdowns in 2020, more than a quarter of the population experienced exposure to extreme heat, new research shows. Researchers from NCAR surveyed thousands of people to determine the effects of heat at a time when millions of Americans were out of work and fears about the spread of COVID-19 led officials to close community centers, libraries, and other cooling centers. Nearly 28% of the respondents reported experiencing at least one symptom of heat exposure, ranging from nausea and muscle cramps to fainting and confusion, as they found themselves unable to change their routines and escape high temperatures, or to access good medical care due to stay at home orders. Although most Americans have air conditioning, about one in five respondents could not adequately cool their homes, often because of the high costs of running or maintaining their air conditioners.
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