Allergy-sufferers warned on pollen

ALLERGY sufferers have been warned of "tough times ahead" as birch and other trees start to blossom between March 23 and 28 and have been told to start taking preventive anti-allergy medication.

Michel Thibaudon, director of the air pollution watchdog Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique (RNSA) said "the trees are speeding up, the buds are opening and the catkins are getting longer" - all of which means streaming eyes, itchy noses and miserable conditions are not far away for those affected by allergies.

He said the risk was high across France but "the end of March will be terrible for allergy sufferers".

Around the Mediterranean coastline the main culprit was the cypress which is and will remain very high while elsewhere hazel and alder would "continue to tickle the nostrils".

Sufferers should organise to see their GPs to get preventive medicine such as Clarityne or the generic Loratidine as prescribed.

The RNSA has a guide, in French, to the main pollen-bearing trees and how to recognise them and also maps to find out the risks in your area.