Sussex and Surrey weather: Met Office forecasts ‘very high’ pollen count - how can I ease hay fever symptoms?

According to the Met Office, pollen levels are set to be high across London & South East England on between Thursday (June 19) and Saturday (June 21).

A Met Office map shows ‘very high’ pollen levels in Sussex and Surrey on these days.

According to the pollen forecast, London & South East England will experience very high grass and nettle pollen until at least Monday (June 23).

The pollen forecast uses the new Met Office pollen model to produce pollen forecasts for five days ahead across the whole of the UK.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), in partnership with the Met Office, has issued an amber heat health alert for all regions in England.

The alert will be in place from 12pm on Thursday, June 19 to 9am on Monday, June 23.

For more information, see the UKHSA’s Weather health alerts page.

What is the cause of hay fever?

Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, causing sneezing, coughing and itchy eyes.

How do I know if I've got hay fever?

The NHS says symptoms of hay fever could be:

• a runny or blocked nose
• feeling tired
• headache
• itchy, red or watery eyes
• itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
• loss of smell
• pain around the sides of your head and your forehead
• sneezing and coughing

What makes hay fever worse?

Symptoms are usually worse between late March and September, especially when it's warm, humid and windy – when the pollen count is at its highest.

Unlike a cold, which usually goes away after one to two weeks, hay fever can last for weeks or months.

How can I prevent hay fever?

There's currently no cure for hay fever and you cannot prevent it, but you can do things to ease symptoms when the pollen count is high.

To ease hay fever symptoms, the NHS says to:

• keep windows and doors shut as much as possible
• put petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) around your nostrils to trap pollen
• shower and change your clothes after you have been outside to wash pollen off
• try to use a pollen filter in the air vents of your car, if you have one, and a HEPA filter in your vacuum cleaner
• vacuum regularly and dust with a damp cloth
• wear wraparound sunglasses, a mask or a wide-brimmed hat to stop pollen getting into your nose and eyes

The NHS also says to avoid:

• cutting or walking on grass
• drying clothes outside – they can catch pollen
• keeping fresh flowers in the house
• let pets come from outside, into the house if possible – they can carry pollen indoors
• smoking - it can make your symptoms worse
• spending too much time outside

The NHS advises speaking to a pharmacist if you have hay fever as they can help and suggest the best treatments to help with symptoms, like antihistamine drops, tablets or nasal sprays, and steroid nasal sprays.

Some antihistamines can make you sleepy, so speak to a pharmacist about non-drowsy antihistamines if you need to.