Yahoo News Met Office issues 'very high' pollen warning in North East as temperatures rise
Hay fever sufferers are being warned about "very high" levels of pollen over the coming days.
As the weather becomes warmer across the country, pollen levels are also increasing. The Met Office pollen forecast shows that, from Thursday, June 20, pollen levels in the North East and much of the UK will be "very high".
The forecast for Thursday says: "Grass pollen will rise in warm, dry weather. Nettle, dock and plantain too. Spores: A little Alternaria and medium Cladosporium when warm, Leptosphaeria after rain."
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And the picture for the North East will remain the same until at least Monday. The Met Office maps show "very high" pollen levels in the region on Friday and over the weekend.
High pollen counts can cause misery for people who get hay fever. This is a common allergy that causes sneezing, coughing and itchy eyes. You cannot cure it, but there are things you can do to help your symptoms, or medicines you can take to help.
The NHS says there are a number of things you can do to ease your symptoms when the pollen count is high. Tips include:
putting petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) around your nostrils to trap pollen
wearing wraparound sunglasses, a mask or a wide-brimmed hat to stop pollen getting into your nose and eyes
showering and changing your clothes after you have been outside to wash pollen off
keeping windows and doors shut as much as possible
vacuuming regularly and dust with a damp cloth
The NHS suggests you don't do the following:
do not cut grass or walk on grass
do not spend too much time outside
do not keep fresh flowers in the house
do not smoke or be around smoke – it makes your symptoms worse
do not dry clothes outside – they can catch pollen
do not let pets into the house if possible – they can carry pollen indoors
