POLLEN BOMB
Millions of hay fever sufferers still plagued by pollen bomb – but this weekend offers ray of hope
HAY fever sufferers are set for another week of runny noses and itchy eyes as pollen levels remain "very high" across most of the country.
Forecasters last week warned we are set for another three weeks of hay fever misery and the pollen count reached its highest levels so far this summer.
The long winter and recent rain followed by warmer weather is the "worst case scenario" for sufferers, making pollen more prevalent, experts warn.
The Met Office is warning pollen levels will be very high in the South West, Midlands, Wales and North West today, with high levels expected in London, the South East, Yorkshire and the North East.
Most of Scotland is continuing to avoid the pollen bomb, with only the South West of expecting high levels today.
Very high levels are expected in most of England and Wales for the rest of the week.
On Wednesday everywhere in except the East faces a "very high" pollen count lasting until Saturday in most areas.
There will be some reprieve by Saturday, with all areas except London and the South East forecast to have moderate levels of pollen in the air.
Scotland and Northern Ireland avoid most of the hay fever misery, with pollen levels remaining moderate all week.
The recent rain to hit the UK has caused grass and trees to grow, fuelling a rise in pollen.
Pollen forecaster Beverley Adams-Groom told BBC Breakfast: "We’ve had a perfect combination of weather to produce very high pollen counts, particularly grass pollen which affects about 95 per cent of hay fever sufferers.
"I think we have several weeks yet of it, and possibly more.
"If we get a rainy spell that will set the season back a little bit, so it will last for longer because the grasses will pause and then come back again.
"If we get a lot of hot weather they will be exhausted quickly, but we are still looking at at least another three weeks."
Pollen expert Beverley Adams-Groom gives advice on how to avoid hay fever causes on BBC Breakfast
Dr Jean Emberlin, of Allergy UK, told The Sun Online: "The worst case scenario for hay fever sufferers is when you have rain occasionally, which keeps the grass going, and then days in between with warm weather which disperses the pollen.
"But if you have a very hot, dry summer the grass stops growing."
Dr Emberlin predicted grass pollen will be at its worst in June, warning sufferers to take antihistamines and be prepared.
"This year I think the grass pollen part will start a bit later than last year because we have had a lot of cold weather through the spring, so the grass hasn’t grown as much as it did last year," she added.
"But we are still looking at the first week of June, depending on the weather.
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"If the grass flowers are ready to release their pollen but it is pouring with rain then the pollen will have no effect because it is all going to be washed out.
"Then you have weed pollen coming in and fungal spores in the autumn.
"June is the worst month, perhaps week two, three and four, after that the pollen counts tend to start to go down."
A wet winter followed by recent balmier climes meant trees burst into a flowering frenzy, kicking off the hay fever season with a sharp surge in pollen levels.
More than six million Brits are plagued by itchy eyes, a constant runny nose, headaches and irritating sneezes every summer.
And for half of them, deadly asthma attacks are a real threat - triggered by pollen.
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Hay fever and asthma are closely linked, with around 80 per cent of people with asthma finding their symptoms are made worse when pollen counts are high.
Sonia Munde, nurse manager at Asthma UK, said: "Pollen is a top trigger for asthma attacks at this time of the year, affecting an estimated 3.3million people with asthma in the UK.
"People with asthma who also have a pollen allergy not only experience classic hay fever symptoms such as itchy eyes and a running nose, but are also at an increased risk of a life-threatening asthma attack."
She said anyone who has both asthma and hay fever should ensure they are taking antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays, and ensure they take their preventer inhaler as prescribed to ward off an attack.
MORE ON HAY FEVER
Holly Shaw, nurse advisor at Allergy UK, added: "The warmer weather can signal the start of allergic symptoms for people with hay fever.
"Pollen avoidance can be challenging due to the many different types of pollens from grasses, trees and weeds being released at different times of the year."
She urged people to stock up on antihistamines to help manage their symptoms.
Stephen Hannan, clinical services director at Optical Express, urged sufferers to wear protective glasses and use eye drops to protect their vision.
"Opt for wraparound sunglasses to increase protection from airborne pollen when outside, and swap contact lenses for glasses when the pollen count is high," he said.
What is a pollen bomb, how has UK weather created it and does it make hay fever symptoms worse?
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