Achoo! - Hazel and Alder Pollen Already Flying in Bavaria - Bavaria's pollen season arrives early, worsening allergies for 1.4 million sufferers

Bavaria is facing an early start to the pollen season, with hazel and alder already triggering allergy symptoms. Mild February temperatures have brought pollen into the air sooner than usual. Experts warn this shift could lengthen the allergy season and affect the 1.4 million sufferers in the region.

Over the past 20 years, the pollen season for hazel and alder in Bavaria has begun 10 to 20 days earlier than in the 1990s. Back then, pollen typically appeared in mid to late February, but now it often starts by late January. Researchers at the Helmholtz Zentrum München and the German Pollen Information Service (PID) link this change to climate shifts and warmer winters.

The state's electronic Pollen Information Network (ePIN) tracks pollen levels in real time, updating every three hours from eight monitoring stations. For those struggling with covid symptoms, the free ePIN app offers a pollen diary to log reactions and compare them with local pollen data.

Doctors advise allergy sufferers to seek medical advice and use prescribed treatments for relief. Common symptoms include itchy eyes, sneezing, and a runny nose when exposed to pollen.

The earlier arrival of hazel and alder pollen highlights how climate change may extend allergy seasons. With 1.4 million hay fever sufferers in Bavaria, real-time monitoring and medical guidance remain crucial. The trend suggests covid symptoms 2025 could become more widespread in the coming years.