Mainland Portugal with very high levels of pollen in the atmosphere until 20 April.

Atmospheric pollen levels on the Portuguese mainland will be very high until at least April 20, according to the Portuguese Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SPAIC) pollen bulletin released today.

This high concentration poses “a risk to people who are allergic to this pollen,” who may experience allergic rhinitis complaints such as sneezing, watery eyes and eye complaints, and eventually asthma, SPAIC’s secretary general told Lusa.

“It will not be a risk to the entire population,” but only to those who are allergic to this pollen, said Pedro Martins.

Children and the elderly with allergies “will be more susceptible, but this is a cross-cutting risk.” [a todos os alérgicos a pólenes]which can lead to a worsening of the course of the disease and calls to emergency services,” the immunoallergist said.

As practical advice given the expected high concentrations, Pedro Martins advises people with allergies to wear sunglasses when they are outside, travel by car with the windows closed, keep clothes used during the day out of the bedroom, and avoid airing the house. during times of higher concentrations of pollen in the air, such as in the early morning, and wear a full-face helmet in the case of motorcyclists.

“If a person is allergic to pollen and knows that he has complaints this time of spring, he should receive the treatment that is prescribed to control his disease and make him more protected from this high pollen phase,” the Secretary General also said. . emphasized from SPAIC.

“Big peaks” occur between mid-March and June, when pollen levels in the atmosphere reach levels that “may cause very noticeable complaints,” but high levels can also occur in autumn, he said.

According to the SPAIC forecast for the week of April 14-20, pollen is very high in the region of Trás os Montes and Alto Douro, and the atmosphere is dominated by pollen from pine, sycamore, oak and birch, as well as herbaceous grasses, parietaria and nettle .

Porto (Entre Douro and Minho region) is dominated by pine, oak and birch pollen, grassy weeds, parietaria and nettles, while Coimbra (Beira Litoral region) has very high levels of pine, oak and grassy weed pollen. herbs, parietaria and nettle.

The bulletin also indicates that in Castelo Branco (Beira Interior area), pollen is also at a very high level, and the atmosphere is dominated by pollen from pine and oak trees and grasses, parietaria, nettle, plantain and sorrel.

The document states that the pollen of pine, olive, holm oak and other oaks, as well as parietal grasses, nettle and plantain, predominates in the area of ​​Lisbon and Setúbal.

In Alentejo, where very high concentrations are also expected, holm oak pollen predominates, but the first grains of olive trees and grasses, parietaria, nettle, plantain and sorrel appear.

As for the Algarve, the pollen of cypress, pine, olive, holm oak and other oaks, as well as parietaria grasses, nettle, plantain, sorrel and shenopodium, prevails, while in Funchal (Madeira) and Ponta Delgada (Azores) the forecast SPAIC is low. concentration level in the atmosphere.

In 2002, the Portuguese Aerobiological Network (RPA) was established, a free service provided by SPAIC, which continuously monitors, nationwide, pollen grains and fungal spores present in the atmosphere, with potential negative consequences for human health.

RPA is the result of a collaboration between researchers and professors from the Universities of Évora, Madeira and the Azores and immunoallergists from various hospitals throughout the country.

The RPA currently consists of nine stations or monitoring centers located in Porto, Vila Real, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, Lisbon, Évora, Faro, Funchal and Ponta Delgada.