TranslateWorld Sepsis Day 2022
Published: 01 January 0001
World Sepsis Day is held on 13 September every year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against sepsis.
The theme is ‘Stop Sepsis, Save Lives’ and we are encouraging all of our communities to come together to raise awareness of sepsis.
Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection and anyone with an infection could develop sepsis. Sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment in hospital, and it is important that this is accessed as soon as possible.
Sepsis can be difficult to spot as there can be other causes that present with similar signs and symptoms and lack of awareness in individuals in suspecting sepsis. Sepsis can be especially hard to recognise in babies and young children, people with dementia, people with a learning disability and people who have difficulty in communication.
Symptoms to look for…
It is therefore important to know the signs and symptoms of sepsis, which include:
Slurred speech or confusion
Extreme shivering or muscle pain
Passing no urine all day
Severe breathlessness
It feels like you are going to die
Skin mottled or discoloured
If you are experiencing one or multiple of these six symptoms in the context of an infection, please go straight to your nearest A&E department or call 999.
Everyone can play a part in preventing infections that could potentially lead to sepsis. Here are some tips to help you and your loved ones:
- Washing your hands regularly
- Adequate cleaning of the environment
- Keeping up to date with vaccinations including children, pregnant women and older people
- Following instructions that are provided with any antibiotics and complete the course, even if we feel better
- Clean and care for any wounds you may have
The best thing to do is just ask: “could it be sepsis?”
Get involved
The UK Sepsis Trust Get Sepsis Savvy campaign provides resources and materials to help you get involved this World Sepsis Day. The campaign pack includes a video and game to raise awareness. Find our more here.
Follow along on Twitter this World Sepsis Day: @WorldSepsisDay #WorldSepsisDay #SepsisPrevention
More information
To learn more about World Sepsis Day and sepsis awareness, please visit these helpful websites:
