Warning to millions with hay fever as first major pollen bomb explodes – are you at risk?
THE first pollen bomb of 2023 is set to hit parts of the UK today, bringing misery to millions of hay fever sufferers.
Brits are also set to bask in warmer temperatures this Easter bank holiday weekend, but the sunnier weather is behind the sudden explosion in pollen levels.
Most of England, Wales and Northern Ireland are covered by the alert, with only the North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber spared.
All these regions will experience a combination of 'medium' to 'high' pollen levels from today until Saturday.
The pollen bomb will peak today (April 4) and on the weekend (April 7-8) with all affected areas covered in a blanket of 'high' pollen warnings.
Experts predict this year's pollen bomb to be a big one, following a month of heavy rainfall which has encouraged more plant growth.
Read more on hay fever
"The peak of the hay fever season has been delayed and the recent milder, wet weather has encouraged growth," said Max Wiseberg, airborne allergen expert and founder of HayMax barrier balms.
"Last month was the wettest March in England for over 40 years.
"So there’ll be plenty of pollen now the sun is coming out,” he added.
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, typically when it comes into contact with your mouth, nose, eyes and throat.
Pollen is a fine powder from plants which usually travels in the air when it's warm and windy: usually between late March and September.
You can check the pollen forecast for your area .
What is pollen count and when are the peak seasons?
The Met Office updates Brits with pollen levels each day.
At the moment pollen levels are very high across the the country.
Pollen is a fine powder released by plants as part of their pollination cycle.
The spores then travel in the air as part of a plant's reproduction and fertilisation cycle.
But it contains a protein that can cause the nose, eyes, throat and sinuses to become swollen and irritated if a person is allergic to it.
This gets more intense if the pollen count is high, meaning lots of plants have released pollen all at once.
The pollen count is calculated by measuring the number of pollen grains in a cubic metre of air, using a pollen trap.
The 7 ways to ease hay fever
Here are some ways you can ease hay fever symptoms:
- Shower and change clothes after being outdoors: Pollen gets everywhere, sticking to clothes and affecting you long after you’ve retreated inside.
- Apply petroleum gel just under the nose: Dabbing a little petroleum gel, such as Vaseline, around the nostrils before you head out can act as a barrier to prevent pollen particles from entering your nose.
- Wear wraparound sunglasses: This is a suitably stylish way of keeping pesky pollen powder out of your eyes.
- Keep it clean: Regularly wash your hands when out and about to remove pollen and avoid rubbing it further into your eyes or nose.
- Dry your laundry inside: If you suffer from hay fever, it’s better to dry your laundry inside so that it won’t catch any pollen outside.
- Keep pets clean: Animal fur can easily collect pollen when outdoors.
- Create an on-the-go first aid kit: There are plenty of products you can pick up at the chemist to keep your symptoms in check, each with different abilities
For further tips on preventing hay fever, see the website.
Pollen counts tend to be higher in early morning and late evening, although they can sometimes be high all day long.
The threshold for 'high' pollen count depends on the type of pollen, but usually hay fever symptoms begin when the pollen count is 50 grains per cubic metre of air.
For grass pollen, a count between 50 to 150 pollen grains per cubic metre is considered high, and for birch trees a count between 81 and 200 is high.
Dr Beverley said: "However, all areas are affected by grass pollen to some extent.
"Scotland is the mildest region but still receives an average of 11 high days per season.
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"Some hay fever sufferers in London can be badly affected by the plane tree pollen season, which has an average of 12 high days.
"Plane trees are planted on many of London’s streets and in parks and gardens."