The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States announced that this Friday is a “Don’t Fry Day”. This is a part of the agency’s efforts to promote awareness on the dangers of excessive exposure to the sun, including skin cancers.

The EPA partnered with the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention in launching the Don’t Fry Day. Both organizations wants people to understand how important it is to protect our skin from the sun; especially during summer when the sun is at its hottest and everyone wants to head outside for fun activities. They are offering people with tips to minimize risks of sun damage.

EPA encourages everybody to check their area’s UV index before heading out for summer activities. The UV index will tell us when the sun’s UV rays are at its peak or the most intense; needless to say, you need to stay indoors during those times. EPA also said that in order to avoid sun damage we should wear a shirt, hats, and sunglasses and use sunscreen whenever we are outdoors.

The assistant administrator of the Air and Radiation department of EPA, Gina McCarthy, said that most people do not take sun damage seriously. She added that many do not understand that increased sun exposure may lead to major skin diseases like melanoma (an advanced form of skin cancer).

Lastly, the EPA wants everyone to visit their website wherein the Sunwise program is vastly featured. The program is dedicated to increasing awareness about the dangers of sun damage and the importance of protecting our skin from the sun. You can get more resources and tips from the site.