Runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing… Sunny days are good for morale, but the arrival of spring means the return of the pollen. Bad news for allergy sufferers. On Thursday, the National Aerobiological Surveillance Network (RNSA) placed 31 French departments in “high” health impact, reports TF1 Info. The rest of mainland France is currently in “medium” health impact.
According to the RNSA, birch pollen will be the main cause of allergies throughout the spring. These particles, which have “a very high allergenic potential”, cause ocular, nasal and also respiratory symptoms. In the departments of Haute-Saône and the Territoire de Belfort, allergy sufferers can also be bothered by hornbeam pollen.
Longer seasons and more “aggressive” pollens
The south of France is affected by the presence of pollen from “Cupressaceae-Taxaceae”, a family comprising cypresses and junipers. Ash, elm, willow, poplar and plane tree pollens are also present but they represent an allergic level ranging from low to medium according to the RNSA. In the west of the country, grass pollen is making a comeback.
According to the Ministry of Ecological Transition, the amount of pollen released into the air is strongly linked to climate change and rising temperatures on French territory. “Global warming will lead to longer pollen seasons, while pollution will make pollen more aggressive,” said Isabelle Bossé, president of the union of allergists.
The departments concerned by the “high” health impact are: Somme, Aisne, Bas-Rhin, Vosges, Haut-Rhin, Territoire de Belfort, Haute-Saône, Côte-d’Or, Yonne, Doubs, Jura, Saône-et-Loire, Loire, Rhône, Ain, Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Drôme, Ardèche, Var, Bouches-du- Rhône, Vaucluse, Gard, Hérault, Aveyron, Aude, Pyrénées-Orientales, Tarn, Haute-Garonne, Ariège and Dordogne.
