This high concentration represents a “risk for people who are allergic to these pollens” and who may develop complaints of allergic rhinitis, such as sneezing, tearing and eye complaints and, eventually, developing asthma, the secretary general of SPAIC told Lusa.

"It will not be a risk for the entire population", but only for those who are allergic to these pollens, said Pedro Martins.

Children and older people who are allergic "will be more susceptible, but it is a risk that is transversal [to all those allergic to pollen], which can lead to aggravation of the disease and trips to emergency services", said the specialist in immunoalergology.

"If the person has a pollen allergy and knows that they have complaints at this time of spring, they should take a treatment that is prescribed to control their disease and make them more protected for this phase of high pollens", stressed the secretary general from SPAIC.

In 2002, the Portuguese Aerobiology Network (RPA) was created, a free service provided by SPAIC that monitors, nationwide and on a continuous basis, pollen grains and fungal spores present in the atmosphere with potential negative repercussions on health human.

RPA is the result of collaboration between researchers and professors from the Universities of Évora, Madeira and Azores and immunoalergologists from various hospitals across the country.

Currently, the RPA consists of nine stations or monitoring centers located in Porto, Vila Real, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, Lisbon, Évora, Faro, Funchal and Ponta Delgada.