Pollen bomb red alert for millions with hayfever

Levels at a high across Britain today

- Hanna Geissler Health Editor

MILLIONS of Britons face hay fever hell this weekend as pollen levels soar with GP surgeries already seeing a surge in patients seeking help for symptoms.

The Met Office was forecasting very high pollen in all regions of England and Wales today, and high levels across Northern Ireland and most of Scotland.

Meanwhile, doctors have reported a surge in patients struggling with debilitating symptoms such as eye irritation, persistent sneezing and nasal congestion.

The Royal College of GPs’ Research and Surveillance Centre, run in partnership with Oxford University and the UK Health Security Agency, tracks presentations to GPs for conditions.

Spike

It found the rate of patients booking appointments due to hay fever was above the seasonal average, particularly in London.

Some 17 in every 100,000 people in England sought help in the week to April 6, rising to 34 per 100,000 people in the capital.