Met Office has ‘good news’ for hayfever sufferers

There is finally some good news for hayfever sufferers.

After more than a month of unbearable symptoms for many, the Met Office has declared things may finally be looking up.

June and early July saw long periods of extremely high levels of pollen across the country.

While always a time when grass pollen is at its peak, thousands of people took to social media to report that their symptoms were becoming far more problematic than normal while others expressed difficulty at being able to buy over the counter remedies as so many people rushed to try and treat their suffering.

Red, sore itchy eyes, sneezing, tickly throats and coughs and sneezes can all be associated with a pollen allergy.

Described at the time as a ‘pollen bomb’ – weather watchers suggested levels were particularly high by the middle of last month because of a very wet end to May, followed by a dry, hot and sunny start to June which caused more grasses to flower all at once leading to an explosion in levels.

The sustained and exceptionally high levels also prompted Asthma UK to issue its own warning last month about the uncomfortable conditions.

It said that a ‘toxic cocktail’ of high pollen levels, warm weather and thunderstorms risked posing a triple threat for people with asthma that could put them at greater risk of having a life-threatening attack and warned those with asthma to ensure they were carrying an inhaler at all times.

While drivers taking hayfever medication were also warned to be aware about getting behind the wheel of their car with some tablets known to lead to drowsiness.

But after weeks of high or very high pollen levels in the weather forecasts, the Met Office has said there is now some ‘good news’.

In a message to its 830,000 followers on Twitter it declared there was finally some respite for hayfever suffers thanks to the next few days of weather combined with signs that this year’s grass pollen season is finally on its way out.

It said: “”Good news for many as grass #pollen counts stay low over the next few days. This is largely down to the unsettled weather, but also the end of the grass pollen season.”

For the next five days including today, pollen levels are indeed now at their lowest with every day so far classified as ‘low’ level. You can follow the Met Office’s pollen forecast over the summer here.

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