PEOPLE who have experienced prolonged effects or complications from COVID-19 are warned to be extra alert to thunderstorm asthma dangers with the potential to rival the 2016 epidemic.
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Deakin University environmental allergist Cenk Suphioglu said most people who lived with asthma were clear in being prepared with preventer and reliever medications.
Associate Professor Suphioglu said the "challenge" was to raise awareness among people who had had COVID-19 or other severe respiratory illness, and how did not consider themselves to have asthma, to have a check-up with their general practitioner and form an asthma action plan if needed.
"In researching long COVID, health officials have collected anecdotal evidence that common symptoms being reported - including breathlessness, wheezing and a tight chest - are in fact textbook asthma symptoms," Associate Professor Suphioglu said.
"It therefore makes sense that anyone who has had a severe respiratory illness this year is at a higher risk when it comes to suffering from thunderstorm asthma, even if they have never had traditional asthma before."
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Heavy spring rains across Ballarat are likely to lead to higher pollen levels in coming weeks, especially as the weather warms and humidity increases.
This had the potential to create what Associate Professor Suphioglu said was a perfect storm for conditions like Victoria experienced in the 2016 thunderstorm asthma epidemic in which 10 people died and 12,000 people presented to emergency departments.
He said the added concern now was overstretched emergency departments under the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and people with compromised immune systems after having COVID-19.
Associate Professor Suphioglu said anyone could become allergic to grass seeds, as the 2016 thunderstorm asthma event showed.
University of Melbourne has run a pollen count station in Creswick each counting season, October 1 to December 31, in the wake of the 2016 epidemic.
On Tuesday this showed moderate levels of grass pollen in the region. This is ahead of forecast thunderstorm conditions and showers in Ballarat by the week's end.
Creswick has one of eight pollen monitoring stations across the state. Details and warning, provided in partnership with Bureau of Meteorology, aim to better inform people who experience hay fever and asthma.
People can check the daily pollen count online at melbournepollen.com.au, downloading the Melbourne Pollen app, or visiting Melbourne Pollen's social media channels. The VicEmergency app can also send alerts for watch zones.
Anyone with hayfever symptoms is encouraged to take a COVID-19 rapid antigen test because many symptoms tend to overlap. UFS chief pharmacist Peter Fell, among COVID-19 waves last year, said itchy eyes and sneezing were not typically signs of the virus.
People can also protect against long and medium-term COVID-19 symptoms by ensuring their vaccinations, including boosters, were up-to-date.
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