Will hay fever be better or worse this summer?
12 December 2025
Dr Amy Chan is an expert in allergies and asthma. She gave Joelle Ireland a few 'Expert Tips in Two Minutes' about reducing the effects of seasonal allergens.
It’s summer, and with people spending more time outdoors, those prone to hay fever might be suffering.
Associate Professor Amy Chan, from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, says at least a third of the population is likely to suffer from hay fever or dust allergies.
“If we take just hay fever alone, that's about one in five Kiwis who have hay fever, but we add that to other allergies, that's probably about 30 to 40 percent of Kiwis.”
The main outdoor contributor to allergies in New Zealand is grass pollen.
“One of the biggest culprits is perennial rye grass. In New Zealand, we have a really long pollen season, which is also one of the reasons we see high rates of hay fever.”
As well as being irritating for sufferers, allergies contribute to asthma.
“Allergies and asthma are related,” says Chan. “On average, around 50 to 80 percent of people who have asthma also have hay fever. And about one third of people who suffer from hay fever, also have asthma.”
The good news is, there are ways to reduce the impact of seasonal allergies. Chan recently highlighted some research-proven ideas on how to reduce the effects of hay fever or other seasonal allergies in the latest Expert Tips in Two Minutes video hosted by Joelle Ireland.
“Antihistamines are one of the best options for managing allergies,” says Chan. “They target histamine, which is the main molecule that causes all of those hay fever symptoms such as runny eyes, itchy nose and sneezing. Nasal sprays also work really well.”
Outside of medications, there are practical steps people can take.
“We know that pollen production happens mostly early in the morning, from 6am to noon. So, if you’re exercising, it's best to do it outside of those periods,” says Chan. “Try not to do it outdoors in the morning.
“Some other things you can do are keep windows closed during high pollen periods. And if you have to go outside in the morning, wear a face covering or sunglasses.”
The pollen season starts in spring with tree pollens. By October, more grass pollen is released, which lasts through to Christmas.
She also recommends not hanging out your washing during high pollen periods because pollen can stick to it.
She says the worst season for hay fever is spring, when the pollen season starts with tree pollens. Then, by October, more grass pollen is released, which lasts through to Christmas.
Predictions are for a La Niña summer and Chan says this is good news for those who suffer hay fever.
“La Niña means wetter summers. While that may not necessarily be good news for all Kiwis, a wetter season means there is slower pollen growth, so less pollen produced and fewer symptoms caused.”
Trapping valuable pollen data
Dr Amy Chan and a team of researchers have been monitoring pollen in a special trap on top of the Auckland War Memorial Museum for the past few years, and have found some useful information. It’s the first time pollen has been monitored this way in Auckland for more than 35 years.
“What we have found is that, year on year, the amount and types of pollen are different and have changed over time; one year’s pollen is very different to the next year’s pollen. What we’re hoping to do is use the data from this to produce accurate forecasts of pollen.”
Dr Amy Chan, who is a pharmacist, will become the head of the University of Auckland School of Pharmacy in February.
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