Even if this is not necessarily exceptional, this year, the pollen allergy period starts a little earlier than last year due to the mild temperatures recorded in February in France.
More than three quarters of France are on red alert for pollen according to the latest bulletin from the National Aerobiological Surveillance Network (RNSA).
🌿A difficult day for allergy sufferers with particularly high concentrations across the country due to the mild and sunny weather!
Particularly for alder pollen (Betulaceae family) in full bloom!
https://t.co/k4Ygjf9UTP
Courage to allergy sufferers!
pic.twitter.com/m9JGU3La1x
— National Aerobiological Surveillance Network (@rnsa_pollen) February 17, 2024
Only Finistère is classified in green, 12 departments are in yellow for “medium” risk (Côtes-d’Armor, Morbihan, Ille-et-Vilaine, Maine-et-Loire, Loire-Atlantique, Vendée, Manche, Calvados, Somme , Pas-de-Calais, Nord, Aisne).
All other departments in France are in red, for “high” risk, according to the National Aerobiological Surveillance Network map which has 80 pollen sensors distributed across the territory.
The RNSA also relies on botanists and feedback from allergist doctors.
Pollens are here for the holidays and will seriously bother allergy sufferers in the coming days, particularly alder, hazel, ash and cypress trees...
Good luck to all allergy sufferers! #pollens #allegies #bulletin pic.twitter.com/2X5bZuFSTt
— National Aerobiological Surveillance Network (@rnsa_pollen) February 17, 2024
According to the RNSA, cypress and ash pollens are important in the South-West to the South-East.
In the rest of the country, hazel and alder pollens dominate.
“Mimosas, in flower in the South, can also cause local allergies,” adds the RNSA.
While it is advisable for people with allergies to take simple precautions such as closing car windows, rinsing their hair before going to bed or even drying their laundry indoors, the RNSA considers that showers of rain forecast this Sunday could bring them a little respite by putting “pollens on the ground”.
Here are the right actions to follow to protect yourself from pollen and limit your exposure: regularly consult the pollen vigilance map on our website, rinse your hair in the evening, ventilate your accommodation before sunrise and after sunset if possible. .. pic.twitter.com/f4c5lNDrzc
— National Aerobiological Surveillance Network (@rnsa_pollen) February 15, 2024