Michaela Meade
The Department of Health has issued an epidemic thunderstorm asthma warning for Melbourne, including in Whittlesea and Hume.
A leading respiratory specialist with the department, Professor Mike Roberts, said the warning was due to the combination of thunderstorm activity carrying high grass pollen levels.
According to the department, people may experience asthma symptoms or difficulty breathing.
“The combination of forecast high grass pollen levels and severe thunderstorms with strong winds means that there is a significant risk that people with asthma, hayfever and nasal allergy (seasonal rhinitis) may develop significant symptoms immediately before and during the storm period,” the department said in a statement.
“People are advised to avoid the wind gusts before the storm – go inside and close your windows and doors before and during the storm.
“Health and emergency services are monitoring the situation closely and are ready to respond.
“Our hospitals are experiencing significant demand due to COVID-19, so it’s important that people stay well.”
The department said there are ways for the public to protect themselves, including monitoring the asthma risk on the VicEmergency mobile app or website, avoiding outdoors in the storm, especially the winds that precede them, taking preventative medication as directed, even when symptom free, carrying a reliever, and following an asthma action plan.
Triple-0 should be contacted immediately if someone is not breathing, if their asthma suddenly becomes worse or is not improving, or if the person is having an asthma attack and a reliever puffer is not available, the department said.
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