Record-breaking May temperatures are compressing allergy season. Allergists confirm that extreme heat and drought force plants to release their pollen in a more concentrated form over fewer days. This causes symptoms to be more severe, even though the exposure period is shorter. Experts recommend maintaining preventive treatments and seeing a specialist to adjust therapies in the face of an unpredictable outlook.
IoT sensors and predictive models against pollen 🌡️
To address this volatility, networks of IoT sensors are being developed that measure pollen concentration and climatic variables such as temperature and humidity in real time. This data feeds machine learning models capable of predicting pollen peaks 48 hours in advance. The information is integrated into health apps that alert users to adjust their medication or avoid high-risk areas. However, the accuracy of these models decreases in the face of extreme weather events like the current ones.
My new best friend: the daily antihistamine 💊
With this heat, going outside is like playing Russian roulette with plants. One day grass pollen attacks you from the left, the next day olive trees ambush you. The low-tech solution is to carry the antihistamine in your pocket like it's your wallet. And if you see a guy in sunglasses and a scarf on his face in the middle of May, he's not a spy: he's just an allergy sufferer trying to survive the express spring.