Latest news with #FionaSymon
The Independent
13-04-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Expert warns hay fever season has arrived early as ‘pollen bomb' hits UK
Hayfever season has started early as pollen rates have surged across the UK. Pollen levels in London and the South East of England reached 'very high' levels on Sunday and are predicted to continue until Tuesday when they drop a little, according to the Met Office. Other areas of the country, in the South and Yorkshire and Humber, are also experiencing high levels. By Thursday most parts of the country are forecasted to have 'high' levels again. The allergy warning comes as parts of England have been experiencing warm weather this April. Saturday marked the hottest day of the year so far with temperatures soaring to 24C. Britons flocked to beaches and parks to soak up the rays before the heatwave is expected to come to an end next week. The Met Office said that highs of 24C had been recorded in Northolt, north west London, on Saturday afternoon. According to one expert speaking with the BBC, birch pollen season has started and reached high levels in the first week of April. Dr Fiona Symon, experimental officer in respiratory sciences at the University of Leicester, told the news outlet:"Birch is the tree pollen that most people are allergic to.' "The sun's been out, it's been warm and we've had a breeze to move the pollen around. So it's been perfect weather for trees for pollinating, but not so much for hay fever sufferers. "The warm weather has influenced the level of pollen released. We've seen high to very high levels of birch pollen right from the start of the pollen release rather than a more gentle build-up.' "Hornbeam also reached high levels, which could add to the allergic response to birch as both trees belong to the same family and share similar allergens.' According to the Met Office more than 10 million people in Britain suffer with hay fever. The forecaster added: Hay fever symptoms can include frequent sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy eyes and an itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears. 'As a sufferer, you may also experience the loss of your sense of smell, facial pain, sweating and headaches - although these symptoms are less common. 'Asthma sufferers may find that their symptoms get worse when suffering from hay fever and may experience a tight chest, shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing.'
BBC News
13-04-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Warm weather brings early start to hay fever season, expert says
The recent warm weather has brought about an early start to hay fever season, an expert has Fiona Symon, experimental officer in respiratory sciences at the University of Leicester, has been using new technology to monitor pollen levels in recent Swisens Poleno Jupiter machine, which analyses pollen in real-time, was set up in Leicester last year and is one of only three in England, with the other two in Birmingham and Symon said her analysis showed very high levels in the first week of April. Previously, the pollen forecast relied on time-consuming microscope studies of air samples, delaying important Symon said the new device automated what had been a "very much labour intensive" job."I've sat the whole day counting pollen at the microscope but the new machine automates all of that," she said."I could tell you what the pollen levels were now, whereas with the old method you'd have to wait until next week." Dr Symon said the technology showed that birch pollen season had started and reached high levels between 1 and 7 April."Birch is the tree pollen that most people are allergic to," she said."The sun's been out, it's been warm and we've had a breeze to move the pollen around. So it's been perfect weather for trees for pollinating, but not so much for hay fever sufferers."The warm weather has influenced the level of pollen released. We've seen high to very high levels of birch pollen right from the start of the pollen release rather than a more gentle build-up."Hornbeam also reached high levels, which could add to the allergic response to birch as both trees belong to the same family and share similar allergens."The Poleno showed that pollen levels remained significant well into the evening and on the milder evening of 4 and 5 April, it was present until 03:00 BST."She predicts it will be a high birch pollen year and advised server hay fever suffers to seek help from a advice includes putting a petroleum jelly-based product around nostrils to create a barrier to trap some pollen and prevent inhaling as Symon added the university's pollen count data for Leicester is provided to the Met office and can be found on its website.
