US cities expand cooling centers but struggle to get people inside

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How it spread - 1 original report

1. Fri, 7 August 2026

   1 report
   • The Guardian World12:00first to report
     US cities expand cooling centers but struggle to get people inside

     More air-conditioned spaces are open during extreme heat, but distance, stigma and risk perception keep many away Responding to an uptick in extreme heat waves this summer, US cities have increased their efforts to establish cooling centers to keep people safe but continue to encounter a problem: actually getting people to enter the public air-conditioned spaces. Lower-income people, who often do not have – or cannot afford to operate – air conditioning, face a greater risk of heat-related...