In particular, people who are allergic to rye, rye and bent grass and fungal spores should take extra precautions.

Allergy sufferers should be prepared for pollen at the Danube Island Festival next weekend (June 21 to 23), but they can hope for relatively favorable conditions. Due to the slow grass flowering process so far and the earlier start of the main flowering period, most of the allergenic grass species have died. Peak pollen concentrations from other allergenic plants are not currently expected.

The Vienna Pollen Service of Meduni Vienna recommends that visitors allergic to willow, sedge and bent grass and fungal spores still take precautions. In particular, “Festival-goers who are currently suffering from relevant allergies and have recently increased symptoms should prepare accordingly and think about medication,” says Maximilan Bastl, Head of the Pollen Service Vienna at MedUni Vienna. Although the main flowering of grasses is already in the final stage, and many allergic grass species have already bloomed, individual representatives of this plant can cause problems next weekend.

Rye, rye and bent grasses in particular feel at home on a Danube island. Although ryegrass covers most of the grassland at the festival site, ryegrass and bentgrass are found closer to the water along the Danube. As a common lawn resident, plantain can also cause problems for people allergic to grass pollen. “Based on our measurements, the banana pollen season is about average,” says Bastall.

Widely cut

The fact that the festival area was cut over a large area contributed to local reductions in pollen counts. When the sun is shining, high pollen counts can still be expected locally, although this is expected for most grasses, especially in the morning. The absence of heat in the evening increases the risk of re-exposure as pollen sinks from higher air layers. Measurement results are currently very high for fungal spores, often underestimated allergens that are more relevant in outdoor areas of urban areas. Allergy sufferers should prepare themselves before going to the Danube Island festival, especially to Cladosporium, but also to Alternaria.

Pastel: “Molds have benefited from increased rainfall in the last few weeks, which is why Meduni Vienna’s pollen trap is currently showing above-average fungal spores.”