Pollens: a high allergic risk over almost the entire territory this weekend
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Almost ten days later a maximum alert triggered across a large part of the country, the lights turned red again this weekend. Almost all of mainland France is classified as having a high allergic risk by the National Aerobiological Surveillance Network (RNSA), because of birch pollen. A proliferation linked to rising temperatures, with the “return of warm, sunny summer weather”. The temperatures will soar above seasonal norms this weekend, after a previous weekend already marked by heat records for the beginning of April.
The risk of allergy is maximum for three-quarters of the country, announced the association specializing in the study of biological particles in the air on his website. All departments are concerned, with the exception of Finistère and a southern cordon, from the Basque Country to Bouches-du-Rhône, as well as the Alpes-Maritimes and Corsica in the extreme South-East, around twenty departments are classified yellow, marking a medium risk.
The maximum alert over a large part of the territory applies to birch pollen, “very allergenic and very abundant”, notes the organization in its bulletin. The pollen season for this tree, very present around forests but also in many green spaces, began at the end of March, with the highest concentrations expected “during beautiful sunny days”. the RNSA then explained.
“Birch pollen has a strong allergenic potential, causing allergy sufferers to numerous eye, nasal, and respiratory symptoms “, he warned, calling on those affected to limit their exposure to pollen and to follow appropriate treatment.
Lull in sight next week
The birch pollen season generally lasts until the end of April. It “is not quite over, pollens are still very present in the air” and the maximum risk will continue “for the next few days”, insisted Samuel Monnier, engineer and communications manager within the RNSA, during ‘an update this Friday.
The specialist notably mentioned the case of Antony, in Hauts-de-Seine, where the current concentration of birch pollen is twice as high as last year, “linked to the very favorable weather conditions at the beginning of April, just at the time of flowering of the birch trees”, which therefore “emitted pollen in large quantities into the air”.
For the days to come, the quantities emitted will still remain “very high, especially in the east of the country and the center,” he said. But “this should calm down next week, with quantities which will slowly begin to decrease”, “with the return of a little cooler weather”, while the end of the season will be looming for the birch trees to flower.
Grass pollens are “growing in power”
Multiple other pollens will also be present in the air this weekend, namely those of “plane tree, cypress, urticaceae, ash, willow, poplar, hornbeam, oak, plantain, sorrel and grasses”, also describes the association in his last bulletin. But the risk of allergy will be more minor, estimated at low to medium. These are the alerts that are mainly found on the southern fringe of the country, classified as yellow alert.
However, grass pollen in particular “are gaining strength from the South” and their quantities “are increasing and are already strong”, specified Samuel Monnier. This proliferation “starts very strong, from mid-April”, while the flowering of the plant is usually expected between May and June, he added. “Pinaceae pollen (pine, fir, spruce, etc.) may yellow exterior surfaces but they are not allergenic,” the RNSA also adds in its bulletin.
Cases of pollen allergies have increased in recent years, linked to climate change. Rising temperatures lead to earlier pollination and lengthen pollen seasons for certain species, such as birch, explains the government website for example. Our environment. The more exposure to these pollens progresses, the more allergies develop within the population. The increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the air also increases the production of pollen, while pollution worsens the consequences of these pollens on the respiratory tract, which it weakens and irritates.
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