Overview
- Experts warn of a tough spring for hay fever sufferers after March ash pollen readings topped 300 per cubic meter, a rarity in the past 50 years.
- Hospital trackers in Helmond and Leiden reported high levels last week for ash, poplar, elm, and hornbeam, with ash flagged as the main trigger.
- Birch pollen is expected to hit its peak as soon as this week, which could keep symptoms high into mid‑April, according to Nature Today.
- Clinicians advise beginning allergy medicines now and cutting exposure by showering before bed, washing clothes often, drying laundry indoors, and using a thin layer of Vaseline inside the nose to catch pollen.
- Researchers tie the early, stronger season to climate change, which brings earlier flowering and a longer stretch of allergy complaints.