July is Ultraviolet Awareness Month and there are some reminders of how this can be harmful to humans.

Greene County Public Health Director Shelby Cooklin says ultraviolet rays are a form of radiation from the sun. She points out that while a little bit of sunshine exposure for people can be beneficial for our bodies to produce Vitamin D, too much can be dangerous. Cooklin explains that some of the health issues could include damaging skin cells with sun burns, the risk of skin cancer, eye damage with cataracts and premature skin aging.

“The risks increase with times spent in the sun, especially between 10am and 4pm when UV rays are the strongest.  

Cooklin advises everyone to apply sunscreen with at least a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 and/or wear lightweight and light colored clothing, taking frequent breaks in the shade or indoors and drinking lots of fluids.