Very high concentration of pollen in the next few days on the Portuguese mainland.

Atmospheric pollen levels on the Portuguese mainland will be very high until at least next Thursday, according to the latest pollen bulletin from the Portuguese Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SPAIC).

The pollen present in the air comes mainly from pine, olive, holm oak and other oaks, as well as from herbs parietaria, nettle, cereals, plantain and sorrel.

Forecasts until April 27 in Lisbon (Lisbon and Setúbal area) indicate a very high pollen level, dominated by pollen from holm oak, oak, sycamore, cypress, as well as nettle and parietaria grasses.

In Porto (Entre Douro and Minho region), pollen is found at a high level, with a focus on pollen from pine, birch and oak, as well as grasses, parietaria and nettle.

In Vila Real (Region of Tras Os Montes and Alto Douro), pollen is found at high to very high levels, dominated by pollen from pine, birch, olive and oak trees, as well as grasses and parietal grasses.

In Coimbra (Beira Litoral region), SPAIC isolates pollen from pine, olive and oak trees, parietal grasses and nettles.

The bulletin also predicts very high levels in Castelo Branco (Beira Interior area), dominated by pollen from pine and oak trees and grasses, nettle, psyllium and sorrel.

In Évora (Alentejo region), pollen is found at a very high level, with an emphasis on pollen from pine, olive, holm oak and other oaks, as well as grasses, parietaria, nettle, plantain and sorrel.

In the Algarve region, pollen is also found at very high levels and in the atmosphere, with pollen from cypress, pine, olive, holm oak and other oaks, as well as parietal grasses, nettle, plantain, sorrel and podium.

Atmospheric pollen levels are expected to be low in Madeira and the Azores.

According to SPAIC, outdoor activities with high pollen concentrations should be avoided.

“Gardening, lawn mowing, hiking or outdoor sports increase pollen exposure and allergy risk,” he adds.

He also recommends keeping your car windows closed when you travel to reduce your exposure to pollen. Motorcyclists must wear full face helmets.

At home, society recommends keeping windows closed when pollen concentrations are high.

SPAIC also believes that drug treatment will be the most effective way to manage allergy symptoms, advises seeing a specialist immunoallergist for the correct diagnosis and prescribing the most appropriate medication, and warns that prevention “may involve allergy vaccines.”

Each week, the Pollen Bulletin publishes data on pollen levels in the atmosphere, collected by reader posts in various regions of the country.