Pollen count: NIH issues health warning to take extra care pollen season

Tells people to limit outside activity when count is high

ISLAMABAD: National Institute of Health (NIH) on Wednesday advised the citizens to take special preventive measures in prevailing high-risk pollen season to avoid the medical complications.

According to an official of NIH, citizens should limit their outdoor activities when pollen counts are high and keep windows and doors closed during pollen season.

He asked the pollen allergy patients to wear filter masks while going outside and avoiding unnecessary travel.



He said that women who have a topic-dermatitis should wear gloves while working in the kitchen and people who have eye allergy like allergic conjunctivitis may use (UV protected) glasses.

He said that citizens should take bath and shampoo their hair daily before going to bed as this will remove pollen from their hair and skin and keep it off their bedding.

He said that citizens should wash bedding hot and soapy water once a week. He said that citizens should wear sunglasses and a hat as this will help keep pollen out of their eyes and off their hair.

The official said that citizens should limit close contact with pets that spend a lot of time outdoors and keeping the pet animals out of home as their dander can aggravate allergic symptoms.



He said that citizens should change and wash clothes worn during outdoor activities and suggested them to dry their clothes in a clothes dryer, not on an outdoor line.

He advised for taking care of cleanliness of rooms and taking out carpets and other dust catching linens in the rooms or if necessary can be covered with clean clothing.

He asked the pollen allergy patients to continue taking allergy medicine during pollen season.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2018.