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Hay Fever Sufferers Told To Stay Indoors As 'Pollen Bomb' Hits Early

Hay Fever Sufferers Told To Stay Indoors As 'Pollen Bomb' Hits Early

Oh FFS, just what we need, isn't it? And for the Easter bank holiday, talk about choosing your moment

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

Did anyone else start the day this morning a lot more snuffly than usual? Sneezing more than you regularly would for a Thursday?

Well, it turns out it might not be a cold after all - because, I'm sorry to say - it's worse. Much worse. Hay fever season could be upon us. A whole three weeks early and that's all thanks to the winter heatwave.

Remember this in... February.
PA

And it's come just in time for the Easter bank holiday because all we wanted for our day drinking was a red nose and itchy eyes. Woo.

According to The Sun, it's birch tree pollen - which affects one in four hay fever sufferers - that is already being released across the country.

Dr Jean Emberlin, an expert on allergies, explained to the publication: "When you get warmth like that in winter, it gives the trees a real push to open up and start releasing pollen.

"We had some bad weather at the beginning of March which temporarily put a halt to it or we could have seen a very, very early birch pollen season."

Well, we can't wait for more of this.
PA

Dr Emberlin then warned that if we get a period of dry and windy weather that could be the 'perfect storm' for pollen to be released. And look out of the bloody window - the sun is shining and it's a little breezy. Fan-fucking-tastic.

A Met Office spokesman agreed with Dr Emberlin, saying: "The record-breaking warm spell at the end of February has brought about an earlier-than-usual start to the hay fever season with several tree species producing pollen."

Best whack out the antihistamines.
PA

Speaking to The Sun, hay fever and pollen expert Dr Beverley Adams-Groom said: "We are likely to see an early start to the birch pollen season, which affects around 25 per cent of hay fever sufferers in the spring."

Dr Nigel Best, Specsavers clinical spokesperson, added: "While it's not always possible, staying inside when pollen count is high will help to avoid irritation."

So what shall we do to prevent what seems to be completely unpreventable? Stay inside, pretty self explanatory. Guess you'll just have to leg it from the train/bus/car and right into work/college/school.

This will help to avoid irritation but showering and changing your clothes when you get home will also do that as it will remove pollen from your skin and hair.

Oh how we can't wait for the rest of summer.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Weather, News, UK