Winter weather brings more visits to emergency departments. Ice on driveways and paths makes slips and falls common. Respiratory viruses such as influenza, COVID-19 and RSV also increase in winter, and more people seek emergency care.
Four years ago Arjun Venkatesh, a professor and chair at Yale School of Medicine and chief of emergency medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital, warned people not to walk on ice. Two days after the interview he slipped at home on a frozen driveway. He did not remove the ice, fell, landed on his butt, and slid the full length of the driveway. The story shows how quickly simple tasks become dangerous.
Difficult words
- emergency departments — hospital place for urgent medical help
- influenza — a common seasonal virus that causes fever
- slips — to slide suddenly and lose balanceslipped
- driveway — private road to a house or garagedriveways
- warned — to tell someone about possible danger
- dangerous — likely to cause harm or injury
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever slipped on ice? What happened?
- What can people do to avoid slips on driveways in winter?
- Do you think simple tasks can become dangerous in bad weather? Why?
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