'Pollen bomb' warning as levels soar across the UK: Week-long red alert issued by the Met Office - as hay fever sufferers flock to social media with their symptoms
Forecasters have issued a 'pollen bomb' warning for the UK, as levels soar across much of the country.'Very high' levels have been recorded across all of England and Wales today, as well as parts of Scotland.'Tree pollen season is in full swing. As a result, levels are on the rise,' the Met Office wrote on X.The week–long red alert, which started yesterday and will last until the weekend, has led to an explosion of hay fever symptoms.Sufferers have flocked to social media to complain of itchy eyes, runny noses and sore throats as they battle with their allergies.Taking to TikTok, one sufferer said: 'I don't know what is going on but my eyes are swollen, my nose is so sniffly and every time I leave the house my eyes burn,' one person said on TikTok.Another complained that her allergies 'made her sound like a man', adding: 'This is not even my real voice. What is this? Stupid hay fever.'Meanwhile one person said they were sneezing 'every 10 minutes', while another grumbled they got 'no sleep because hay fever is trying to murder me'. Very high pollen levels have been recorded across all of England and Wales today, as well as parts of Scotland Sufferers took to TikTok to complain that their 'eyes are swollen' (left), and that their allergies made them 'sound like a man' (right)Around 10 million people in England have hay fever, with tree pollen responsible for around a quarter of all cases.Google searches for 'hay fever relief' have surged by 534 per cent in the past week alone, data reveals.Allergy UK recommends that hay fever sufferers limit outdoor activities on high–pollen days, consider wearing a mask, keep windows shut at home and avoid drying clothes outside.'Pollen is made up of tiny particles which are released by plants and trees as part of their reproductive cycle,' the Met Office said.'It is an extremely fine powder and is spread by insects and the wind. 'Pollen can cause significant irritation and inflammation in people who are allergic to it.'Levels are expected to decrease as the week goes on – except for those who live in the East and South East of England, as well as London, where levels will remain very high.The surge coincides with rising temperatures, marking an abrupt change from the windy weather brought by Storm Dave over the Easter weekend. Even people who say they've never had hay fever are reporting symptoms (left). This time of year coincides with tree pollen season, experts say (right) Common hay fever symptoms Itchy, red, watering eyes and persistent sneezingBlocked or runny nose and itching in the throat, nose and earsHeadaches, pain around the temples and fatigueLoss of smell and disrupted sleepFor asthma sufferers, symptoms may include a tight chest, shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing Forecasters said that the warmest temperature of the year so far could be set three times this week before a cooler snap at the weekend. Parts of the UK could enjoy highs of 21°C or 22°C on Tuesday, with temperatures rising again on Wednesday, climbing as high as 24°C in the South–East before the weather cools off towards the end of the week.Kelly Fisher, registered nurse and clinical health educator at Benenden Health, warned warmer winters, dry summers and changing weather patterns can trigger earlier and longer pollen release.'Hay fever season typically runs from March to September, with different pollens peaking throughout the year,' she said.'Tree pollen peaks from March to mid–May, grass pollen from mid–May to July, and weed pollen from late June to September.'She recommends reducing pollen exposure by keeping windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high, avoiding outdoor activities in the morning when pollen levels peak, and showering, washing your hair and changing your clothes after being outdoors.She warned that pollen can cling to your pet's fur, and gently cleaning pets that have been outdoors can help ease symptoms.Simple at–home remedies include wearing sunglasses outdoors and applying petroleum jelly around the nostrils to trap pollen, she said.Meanwhile antihistamines, nasal sprays and decongestants can be effective treatments.Hay fever can develop at any age, she added, and symptoms may worsen at night – especially if windows are left open.A Met Office spokesman said: 'As Storm Dave has now moved away, and this high pressure is building behind it, we're now dragging up warmer air from the continent. It's one of the seasons where it can change really quickly, day on day.'The forecaster said there would be another 'big change' on Thursday when temperatures are expected to drop to between 10°C and 13°C.'It's all purely down to wind direction at this time of year,' the spokesman said. 'For the next couple of days, we're dragging in that warm, southerly wind, which will allow us to see temperatures reach the mid–20s.'As we go into Thursday, we'll see temperatures return to normal for the time of year as we see the weather turn more changeable with advances of rain and showers.'
