The first bloom of jacarandas always transports me to my student days. In my first year at university my mother regaled me with the superstitions students harboured when she was a student. The belief is that you’ll pass your exams if a jacaranda bloom falls on your head. Others claimed you’ll pass one subject for every bloom that drops on your head. Either way, it became a game for one of my particularly crazy friends and myself. It was not at all surprising if one of us would jump up mid-sentence and do a quick shuffle to the left or right to catch a bloom mid-fall. Once a brown, wilted bloom dropped on my head and I wondered whether this was, in fact, a sign of BAD luck. We concluded that it wasn’t – it definitely counted.
Believe what you may, jacaranda season is always the most beautiful. While I started my love affair with the purple flowers back at the University of Pretoria it’s something I carried with me when I went to study at Wits. There’s nothing quite like that first blanket of purple strewn across the streets, popping gently as you drive over the blooms. And while any good Gautenger loves the first rains of spring, they inevitably result in a brownish purple slush as soon as they’ve come. It goes from awe-inspiring to heart-sinking, something akin to the feeling of elation you get at the first sign of jacaranda blooms, only to be overcome with dread at the thought that you hadn’t yet started studying. When, inevitably, such a time arrives you know it’s time to start taking strolls underneath the jacaranda trees.
But the arrival of jacarandas also brings a high pollen count as plants and trees across Johannesburg bloom.
The highest pollen counts are in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town from cypress, casuarina, poplar, rhus, oak and olive trees. Plane trees, which are prolific in all cities, as well as buddleja, which tends to reach high numbers in Bloemfontein, are now also entering their flowering season, so it’s only a matter of time before symptoms are triggered in those regions.
Prof Jonny Peter, who heads the UCT Lung Institute’s Allergy and Immunology Unit, says the coronavirus could make allergy sufferers hyper aware of every sneeze and sniffle as some symptoms overlap.
He answers some of the burning questions allergy sufferers have, to help manage their condition better during the pandemic:
Q: Does having hay fever/allergic rhinitis pose an increased risk of severe Covid-19 complications?
A: No. Current research does not indicate that allergic rhinitis or even well-controlled asthma increases either the risk of being infected with coronavirus or the chance of developing severe disease. In fact, there have been reports that allergic rhinitis and some treatments used for allergic diseases may be protective, although the data is still emerging.
Q: Will wearing a mask reduce hay fever symptoms?
A: Perhaps. I think it is going to be an interesting aspect of the current pandemic and maybe a silver lining. Masks may offer some protection against seasonal allergies since they can prevent larger particles from being inhaled. However, smaller pollen particles are still likely to get through the covering, therefore masks should not be your only form of protection. Keep in mind that pollen is a fine powder, microscopic in size, and can travel deep into the nose and lungs. The higher the concentration of pollen in the air, the greater the chance of an allergic reaction. It’s also important to wash your mask after each use, because it could be carrying pollen.
Q: Does Covid-19 exacerbate asthma symptoms?
A: Emerging data suggests that this is unlikely. There are several viral infections that are a common cause for asthma exacerbations, including the common cold rhinoviruses and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Interestingly, the SARsCoV2 or Covid-19 virus does not seem to be a major driver of asthma exacerbations. However, always remember to wear a mask in public to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus.
Q: Is there a way to reduce hay fever symptoms during the pandemic?
A: It is impossible to completely avoid exposure to pollen. However, the second best option is to regularly check the pollen counts for your area on www.pollencount.co.za and to limit time outdoors when counts are high. Using a portable air filter in one or more rooms in your home will also help to filter pollen and dust. Use a high-efficiency particulate filter (HEPA) for best results.
Keeping windows and doors closed in the morning to midday when pollen counts rise will also help. The lowest pollen counts are usually in the late afternoon to early evening. When outdoors, avoid activities such as mowing the lawn or raking leaves that will stir up pollen.
Equally important is to remove clothes you’ve worn outside and to wash your skin and hair to remove pollen. Rather use a tumble dryer to dry clothes and bedding since pollen can stick to sheets and towels when hung outside.
One of the main reasons to monitor pollen levels in SA is international data that suggests pollen seasons are becoming longer and more intense due to climate change (warmer temperatures cause plants to begin producing and releasing pollen earlier, making hay fever seasons longer). Air pollution is also increasing, which further aggravates allergy symptoms from pollen and fungal spores.
“As Covid-19 is likely to be with us for a long time, it’s important to learn about the risks and how to keep allergies under control to prevent asthma episodes. There has never been a more important time to know what is in the air we are breathing.”
If you are among the 17.5 million South Africans who suffer from nasal allergies, visit here for the latest pollen counts countrywide to help you better manage your condition during the pollen season. Also visit here for real-time information on air pollution across SA.
National pollen monitoring is made possible by Clicks, Thermo Fisher, Novartis, Dr Reddy’s and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals.
