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Luxembourg’s Ministry of Health and Social Security, the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL) and the company Nvision have announced the launch of an application that monitors the concentration of pollen in the air in real-time.
Seasonal pollen allergies affect many Luxembourgers for a large part of the year, starting in January. From now on, those concerned can use the Pollen.lu mobile application, the ministry noted.
Accessible to all, this new mobile application allows allergy sufferers to instantly consult the alert levels of the various pollens present in the Luxembourg air. “Thanks to sensors installed on the roofs of the CHL, the application provides real-time data on pollen in the air in Luxembourg. This technology analyses ambient air and provides information on the presence of eleven types of the most allergenic pollen. The most important in chronological order are hazel, alder, ash, birch, oak, grasses, mugwort,” explains Dr Farah Hannachi, chief physician of the national immuno-allergology service.
Pollen concentration levels are updated three times a day and classified into four categories: undetected, low, medium and high. Additionally, the app provides practical tips for reducing or avoiding pollen exposure.
Martine Deprez, Luxembourg’s Minister of Health and Social Security, stressed the importance of this initiative in the fight against allergies in Luxembourg: “Allergies represent a major public health problem. According to a recent study carried out by the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 44% of the Luxembourg population is atopic and therefore likely to suffer from allergies. This application can therefore be of great help to many allergy sufferers, allowing them to anticipate their treatment and reduce or avoid contact with pollen.”
The Pollen.lu application is available for free on the App Store and Google Play in German and French.
