New images released by Lloydspharmacy show how the UK’s hayfever time bomb is set to explode within the coming years. Currently, the condition affects around a quarter of the UK population, one of the highest prevalence rates for hayfever in the world. By 2040, up to 28 million people will have hayfever due to severe pollen seasons caused by climate change.

City-dwellers will be worst affected by hayfever as warmer summers will intensify air pollution which affects the respiratory tract and allergenicity of pollens. In 50 years time, it is likely that almost three quarters of the population of London will be affected by hayfever whilst almost half of the population of East Anglia, including Cambridge and Norwich, will have hayfever by 2040. North Scotland has been deemed the best place to live for people who want to avoid hayfever with only a third of the population forecasted to be affected by 2060.

As hayfever is already one of the most common forms of allergy, with almost 12 million people in the UK affected, Lloydspharmacy has made its full report and hayfever maps of the UK available for sufferers to download through its website.

Chris Frost, head of medicines at Lloydspharmacy, said: “Increasingly we are going to need treatments which help people to reduce their susceptibility to hayfever in the first place rather than simply alleviate the symptoms.

“A study conducted by the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit, and published online by the Current Medical and Research Opinion concluded that the Lloydspharmacy Hayfever Reliever significantly reduced the main symptoms of hayfever – sneezing, runny nose, watering eyes and an itchy palate. In fact it’s so effective some people may feel a reduction in hayfever symptoms after using it just a few times. This device has been clinically proven to help to reduce susceptibility to some types of pollens, making it very useful for the severe pollen seasons forecast over the next ten to fifty years.”

UK areas least susceptible to increases in allergenic pollen loads include coastal areas, especially in the west. The further north one goes, the shorter the growing season and the shorter the pollen seasons, causing less misery for hayfever sufferers. Highland and moor land areas are good places for hayfever sufferers as the type of vegetation there produces less pollen.

About Lloydspharmacy
Lloydspharmacy has around 1700 pharmacies across the UK. These are based predominantly in community and health centre locations. The company employs over 16,000 staff and dispenses over 145 million prescription items annually. Lloydspharmacy which is a community pharmacy has primary care at the heart of its business. This is why it has launched a range of products aimed at improving community health such as affordable blood pressure monitors and allergy relievers, as well as a suite of convenient professional health check services including free blood pressure and diabetes testing, and cholesterol and heart checks in the comfort of a private consultation room. Lloydspharmacy is the trading name of Lloydspharmacy Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Celesio AG based in Stuttgart. Celesio is the leading pharmaceutical distribution company in Europe and is represented in 16 countries. With its three divisions, Celesio Wholesale, Celesio Pharmacies and Celesio Solutions, the group covers the entire scope of pharmaceutical trade and pharmaceutical-related services.

Via EPR Network
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