Red warnings for pollen are set to come down for May, despite the pollen count still remaining high. The Met Office forecasted ‘very high’ levels of pollen for late April, affecting the Midlands, Wales, London and East, Southeast and Southwest England. However, pollen levels are anticipated to come down slightly to just ‘high’ for the beginning of May. The high pollen levels are claimed to be due to the ‘ideal’ weather of warmer temperatures and lower levels of rain, as well as the high production of the main allergen; birch pollen.
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‘Release of birch pollen has started at a similar time to previous years. However, we are experiencing higher than average levels of birch pollen this year due to the ideal conditions for pollen production last spring and summer,’ a Met Office spokesperson said. ‘The weather so far this spring has been ideal for tree pollen being released and in addition, the low rainfall has meant pollen hasn’t been washed out of the atmosphere.’
In light of the high levels, those that suffer from hay fever are advised to take extra precautions. The Royal College of General Practitioners found that the hay fever incidence rate in London was actually double the national average, at 34 instances per 100,000 people. It’s recommended for hay fever sufferers to take extra care when outside by wearing sunglasses and masks, as well as being sure to wipe down pets before coming back inside. Allergy UK advises not to dry clothes outside, and seeking advice from healthcare professionals if hay fever symptoms do not get better with antihistamines.
‘If you have Hay fever, make sure you monitor pollen forecasts daily and, if possible, stay indoors on high pollen days,’ said Margaret Kelman, Specialist Allergy Nurse at Allergy UK. ‘Hay fever symptoms usually appear when the pollen count exceeds 50. Rain washes pollen from the air so pollen counts are often lower on cooler, wet days.’
The daily pollen forecast can be found on the Met Office website.