Fast facts

The UK pollen season can start as early as March and end as late as September

• Hayfever affects around one in five people in the UK, with numbers expected to rise dramatically in the near future
• There are around 30 types of pollen that can cause hayfever 
• People are more likely to develop hayfever if they have a family history of allergies, particularly asthma or eczema 
• Hayfever is more common in boys than girls but affects adult men and women equally
• Some 10-15 per cent of children and 26 per cent of adults in the UK are affected by hayfever
• There is currently no cure for hayfever, but most people are able to relieve their symptoms with treatments and self-care measures 
• Without treatment, hayfever can lead to complications such as asthma, sinusitis and middle ear infections, as well as having a serious impact on quality of life. 

When to refer 

Some customers will need to be referred to the pharmacist for further advice. This includes customers who:

• Have not had hayfever before
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Are taking other medication
• Also suffer from asthma
• Have unsuccessfully tried an OTC treatment or are suffering unwanted side-effects
• Report wheezing, breathlessness or a feeling of tightness in
  their chest
• Report sinus pain, headache or a yellow/green nasal discharge.