The warning was issued by air monitoring network, le Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique (RNSA), on Friday June 14. The update also covers 65 further departments on orange alert.
“Red” alert is the most severe possible, and “orange” is the second-most severe - on the six-point scale - meaning that the risk of allergies from grass pollen is high to extremely high.
Just five departments - Sarthe, Finistère, Orne, Mayenne and the Alpes-Maritimes - are on yellow alert, meaning average risk.
Pollen allergies can cause symptoms often known as “hay fever”, including repeated sneezing, irritated or weeping eyes, throat irritation, and coughing.
The RNSA advises sufferers to:
- Avoid taking part in too many activities outdoors
- Drive with the windows closed
- Air out the house in the morning and evening, after sunset
- Rinse your hair in water in the evening
- Avoid hanging out clothes to dry outside
- Avoid using products that could further irritate your system, such as tobacco, perfume, incense, candles, cleaning chemicals, or DIY equipment.
En cas d'allergie voici les gestes à adopter pour diminuer l'exposition aux #pollens , #prévention
— Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique (@rnsa_pollen) April 16, 2018
(N'hésitez pas à aller chez un médecin en cas d'aggravation de vos symptômes ! ) pic.twitter.com/yl5BsEegqq
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France