Victoria is set to experience an early hayfever season this year, prompting a warning to Individuals with allergy to take precautions.
Experts attribute this early onset to warmer and drier conditions caused by an expected shift from La Niña to El Niño weather patterns.
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Pollen count expert Edwin Lampugnani said the shift in weather patterns had led to early growth in grass, triggering respiratory allergies.
“Victoria is one of the capitals for allergies in Australia,” Dr Lampugnani said.
“That generally means that people in Victoria and southern New South Wales and, to some extent, South Australia, have a lot of pollen in the air that can affect their allergies.”
Experts said the grass pollen season is expected to run from October to December, peaking in November.
While this season is predicted to be of average intensity, experts advise early preventative measures, such as taking over-the-counter medications like antihistamines and nasal sprays.
In Victoria, around one in five Australians experience allergies and one in nine having asthma.
Emergency departments also tend to see an increase in asthma-related illness in children during this time.
Dr Clare Looker, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has urged parents to ensure the asthma action plan is updated ahead of pollen season, beginning on October 1.
Better health suggests primary, secondary and specialist schools to have asthma action plans for each child with asthma attending their school.
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