HAY FEVER sufferers have been hit with a stern warning as the Met Office has warned of ‘very high’ pollen levels.
Those afflicted can check a map Britain’s hay fever hot spots below.
It comes after the University of Worcester’s latest weekly pollen forecast last week revealed that high levels of alder pollen were likely to continue for another week, presenting a “high risk during mild, dry weather”.
As we transition from April into May, Wales, South East England, and both the East and West Midlands are set to encounter a high risk of birch pollen, according to university forecasts.
Although the grass pollen season is still some weeks off, hay fever sufferers are already contending with the tree pollen season, which experts say can start as early as January.
Yolanda Clewlow, the Met Office’s pollen forecast manager, said: “The pollen season has already started and people with a sensitivity to tree pollen may have noticed the early tree species in the air.
“For those who are allergic to birch pollen, the season for this species is likely to be high, largely due to the conditions last spring and summer when pollen was forming on some trees.”
“We’re constantly monitoring what’s in the atmosphere and what might be coming in terms of pollen in the air.”
Hay fever is a super common allergy affecting around one in four adults in the UK.
Holly Shaw, a nurse advisor for Allergy UK, told The Sun that the number of people affected by hay fever has trebled in the last 30 years.
“The condition is becoming more common, partly due to better diagnosis, but also to due to climate change, with warmer temperatures causing pollen seasons to start earlier and last longer,” she said.
You can be stuck by symptoms at any age. You may have started to experience them as a toddler, but they’re common in school age children and young adults.
You might have noticed your symptoms getting worse as the weather warms up.
That’s because “pollen counts are higher on dry warm days with low humidity and a gentle breeze to help disperse the fine pollen granules into the air and keep the pollen grains circulating”, Holly explained.
Not everyone will experience the allergy in the same way.
Pollen basically triggers a response in your immune system, kickstarting the release of histamine and causing symptoms which can affect the lining of the nose, throat, eyes and ears.
“Some people may experience sneezing bouts, whilst others may have more severe symptoms which affect daily activates,” Holly said.
This can include and “a constant runny itchy nose, itchy watery eyes, itchy throat, ears or palate, a stuffy nose which affects their breathing and for some their asthma may be triggered”.
“Hay fever can have a huge impact on quality of life if it is not treated or well managed,” the nurse said.
“Having severe hay fever can affect someone’s ability to participate in outdoor activities, affect their mental health and even have a detrimental impact on careers, especially for someone who works outdoors.”
Hay fever can take a toll on your physical wellbeing too, making you more irritable and affecting your ability to sleep or work.
Holly warned that if the allergy is poorly treated, it can lead to complications such as sinus infections or even the development of asthma.
“Wheezing or difficulty breathing can occur if you also have allergic asthma,” she added.
In fact, 90 per cent of people with asthma have allergic rhinitis.
There’s also an increased risk of worsening asthma symptoms and hospitalisation with poorly treated hay fever.
Erika Radford, Head of Health Advice at Asthma + Lung UK, told The Sun: “More than three million people with asthma are affected by pollen and when levels are at their highest it can be deadly for those with a lung condition.
“Hay fever can trigger asthma symptoms and increase the risk of a potentially life-threatening asthma attack.”
Holly stressed: “If symptoms do not respond to usual asthma treatments, symptoms are getting worse, or if someone develops a wheeze or breathing difficulties with hay fever for the first time, it is important to quickly seek medical advice.”
If you’re experiencing hay fever symptoms, you might find yourself just grinning and bearing it.
But Holly said it’s important to treat the symptoms.
“This may sound simple, but many people just put up with hay fever symptoms needlessly,” she said.
“Most people with hay fever will have symptoms that can be managed by taking a daily non-sedating antihistamine.
“These are available in tablet and syrup form, and you can speak to a pharmacist who can advise you on the best choice for your individual needs.
“We recommend taking your non drowsy antihistamine medication daily to reduce symptoms and if you have a corticosteroid nasal spray start this around two weeks before the onset of symptoms to get the most effective benefit from your treatment.
“In addition, saline nasal sprays and barrier balms can be used concurrently.”
Holly Shaw, a nurse advisor for Allergy UK, told the Sun: “Treatment choice is very personal and often led by severity of the symptoms – often a combination of treatments will often help improve hay fever symptoms.”
She suggested you use a daily non-sedating antihistamine, nasal sprays and barrier balms.
“Other measures that can be used to manage hay fever include reducing exposure to pollen.”
She advised you:
A STUNTMAN who doubled as Hugh Bonneville in Paddington 2 has warned of a “mafia stronghold” of elaborate cryptocurrency scammers after losing nearly £50,000.
Felix Leech, who also appeared in Star Wars, The Batman, Game of Thrones and Aquaman 2, joined a WhatsApp trading group which he saw advertised on Instagram.
He initially invested £1,000 before transferring thousands more over the following month while being told so-called profits on his bogus account continued to soar.
After trying to withdraw cash, criminals ordered him to pay large fees for fake money laundering regulations, capital gains tax and a £20,000 fine for alleged insider trading.
Mr Leech confided in his uncle who told him it was a scam – after investing £48,000 including all his savings, credit card borrowing and a £10,000 Lloyds loan.
The 34-year-old said: “They had a bit of a mafia stranglehold on me. I was like ‘I have to do what they say because my money’s in there and I can’t get it out’.
“I was constantly asking the organiser in the WhatsApp group ‘is this the last payment? It better be the last payment’.”
He was duped into believing the scheme to convert his cash into bitcoin with Luno Money Limited was genuine after successfully withdrawing small amounts of £40 and £50.
Mr Leech kept making payments as he was “desperate” and egged on by other fake traders on WhatsApp who were in on the fraud last June.
The social media group disappeared in October as did associated scamming websites – after his “sickening” realisation the sham plot had left him penniless.
Mr Leech, who helped perform the stunt in Paddington 2 where Bonneville’s character straddled two trains, is being helped by the National Fraud Helpline.
Solicitors managed to recoup back £11,000 from Lloyds and are now trying to recover more losses from the Financial Services Ombudsman.
The stuntman, from Wembley, west London, added: “I’d been in debt for six months and it just consumes you the whole time.
“It’s helped massively, I’ve paid off all the loans and credit card debts and for the first time in six months I’m financially free. If I could get the rest back it would be a mind-blower.
“I’m in a relationship now so I could treat my girlfriend properly, and feel more confident because I would have enough money both to live off and to save if I don’t have immediate work come in.”
Leo McGowan, a lawyer at National Fraud Helpline, said: “This was a particularly nasty scam because the fraudsters tried to frighten Felix into believing that he had done something wrong and may have committed a crime.
“The scammers will use any trick that can to try and get money out of people, including intimidation.”
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