What action should you take to keep an injured person warm while waiting for help?

Covering an injured person with a blanket is a crucial action to help maintain their body temperature while waiting for help. When someone is injured, especially if they are experiencing shock or have lost blood, their body can become vulnerable to hypothermia. A blanket acts as an insulator, providing warmth and helping to retain body heat.

Using a blanket is beneficial because it can be easily applied and does not require the person to expend energy, which is important since their condition may already be compromised. This approach is especially effective in an emergency situation where time is of the essence and immediate medical assistance may not be available.

The other options, while possibly having some merit in other contexts, either do not effectively address the need for warmth or may even worsen the person's condition. For instance, giving a warm drink may not be advisable if the person is unconscious or has difficulty swallowing, as it could pose a choking hazard. Encouraging the person to walk around requires energy which they may not have, and placing them in direct sunlight can lead to overheating rather than preserving their body temperature. Thus, covering the injured person with a blanket is the most appropriate and effective action to help keep them warm.