The cold snap is predicted to continue across the UK this weekend and into next week, with the Met Office issuing new snow and ice warnings following Storm Goretti. With that in mind, Brits have been urged to wear face masks to protect themselves from falling ill. A chronic asthma sufferer took to TikTok to express the importance of protecting your chest in times like these.

According to the charity, Asthma + Lung UK, 7.2 million people in the UK suffer from asthma - around 8% of the population. "People with asthma can get symptoms like wheezing, breathlessness, a cough or a tight chest," it warns online. "Sometimes symptoms can get worse quickly. This is an asthma attack."

As such, it's important those with the condition do all they can to help prevent asthma attacks, flare-ups of lung conditions, and trips to the GP or hospital.

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"Always make sure you are wrapping up warm and covering your chest and protecting the airways," TikTok user, TheAsthmaInfluencer began in a video

She continued, advising that it's "worth" doing a peak flow test every morning to determine if there is a declining pattern, which cause a severe attack in the near future. "Keep an eye on it and if you see it drop, get yourself to a doctor," she suggested.

Next, TheAsthmaInfluencer expressed the importance of having a spacer at home. "If you notice your chest getting bad, 10 puffs in here will give instant relief and give you more medication into your lungs than just puffing on an inhaler," she said. "This is what they advise before going to hospital."

If you have a nebuliser or portable nebuliser at home and the necessary medication, meanwhile, TheAsthmaInfluencer encouraged sufferers to give themselves "as much respites" as they can.

She closed: "My final tip is always have a hot drink - keep the airways warm, keep yourself warm and give yourself as much of a fighting chance as you can."

Writing in response, a fellow sufferer reported: "Mine [chest] has been tight since the snow came I’m running on empty, no emergency and my skin looks pale/grey." To which TheAsthmaInfluencer advised: "Steaming a room - I just close the bathroom door and run the hot tap till it’s super steamy - it’s can help a bit too."

Asthma + Lung UK lists several ways you can help to stay safe outdoors:

Protect your airways from cold air by making sure the air you’re breathing in is warmed up. You can do this by:

• Breathing in through your nose rather than your mouth


• Loosely wrapping a scarf around your nose and mouth when outside, or


• Wearing a mask, if you feel comfortable to do so.

It's a good idea to:

• Keep your reliever inhaler with you at all times.


• Check the weather before you go out. If you think it might be too cold or windy for you, shorten your time outside or consider staying at home.


• Ask someone to go with you or check in on you if you’re worried about going out in cold weather.


• Keep your head, hands and feet warm by wearing a hat, gloves, or an extra pair of socks.


• Wear layers of thinner clothing, because a lot of thin layers can keep you warmer than one thick layer. Thermal underwear can be helpful too.