Pollen Allergy Season in Norway: Millions Suffer, Birch Pollen Worsens, and Allergy Association Issues Warnings

Around one million Norwegians suffer from pollen allergies. For Katharina (38), it gets so bad that it can be difficult to breathe at times.

– We are in a phase where there is a strong spread of birch pollen throughout southern and central Norway. Especially in coastal areas, but also some inland, senior researcher at NTNU and the Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association, Hallvard Ramfjord, tells VG.

While the mild spring weather is a joy for many, it is a pollen allergy sufferer’s worst enemy. The Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association (NAAF) assumes that more than 20 percent of Norway’s population has more or less allergy to pollen.

– This year we have a relatively large production of birch pollen, so when the weather conditions are like now, it spreads quite a lot, says Ramfjord.

Katharina Myhre Lund in Larvik is one of those who suffer from pollen allergies every year.

– It itches and sneezes. I get terribly tired. Today I have time off from work and have been in bed for two hours, because I have been potty tight and almost didn’t sleep last night, Lund tells VG.

The clinical nutritionist who, in addition to birch pollen, is also allergic to alder, hazel, grass and burdock root, is in for a long season of ailments.

– The eyes become very painful, which itch, sting and run. And they get ugly in the end. In addition, my throat is very itchy, and it swells up. At times it becomes so dense that it is difficult to breathe, says Lund.

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Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association pollen warning for Wednesday and Thursday shows that the spread of birch pollen is strong, the second highest level, in many places in the country. That in a birch pollen season that is worse than last year.

– Compared to last year, there is much more. Historically, it’s a bit difficult to say, it’s a bit early to say whether it’s a record season, says NAAF pollen analyst Trond Einar Brobakk to VG.

Colleague Ramfjord says that in the Oslo region you will be able to see a period of heavy birch pollen for a week ahead. And it could potentially get worse.

NAAF operates on a scale that goes from “No spread” to “Extreme spread”.

– Can we get days with the latter?

– So far we have not measured it, but we should not rule it out. If it happens, it will happen in the next few days. On average for Oslo, it takes two, maybe three days, during a heavy birch pollen season, to experience extreme spread, says Ramfjord.

The average of the last ten years shows that the birch pollen season will start around May 22 in Oslo, depending on the weather conditions, says Ramfjord.

Around the first week of June, the grass pollen season starts, before Burot ends the ball at the end of August.

For Katharina, who says that she started sneezing already when the thermometer showed minus ten, after a couple of days of milder temperatures, there is one thing in particular that works against the allergy.

– I escape to the sea, the water, the sea. We live by the coast, and being allowed to swim and rinse with salt water helps. Being by the coast is good for me, there is less pollen, says Lund.