Hay Fever will cost British Businesses £324 million this summer
The allergy season is upon us once again and at least 9% of the British workforce will be suffering ‘hangover’ type symptoms whilst struggling to complete a day’s work.
And things are just about to get worse; with higher pollen counts fast approaching, hay fever sufferers will feel irritable, sluggish and sleepy, enduring headaches as they try to make it through the working week.
Despite another wet and dismal start to British Summertime, the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit (NPARU) at Worcester University say that the peak of the hay fever season is now upon us.
In a poll conducted by Lloydspharmacy, it was revealed that around 1.3million hay fever sufferers in the UK will attend work feeling hung-over. Chris Frost, head of Medicines for Lloydspharmacy said: “Many people suffering from a bout of hay fever suffer symptoms like dehydration, irritability, drowsiness and nausea – very reminiscent of the after effects of an over enthusiastic night on the tiles. Combined with the dry, sore eyes that characterise hay fever, trying to focus on work can be almost impossible. “Everyone who has ever suffered even mild symptoms of hay fever knows just how frustrating a condition it is. This can be tough for sufferers as it holds them back at work and they haven’t even had a drink to deserve it!”
A key contributor to the hay fever hangover effect is the antihistamine medication taken, that is likely to make around a quarter of sufferers drowsy and slow off the mark. In fact, British businesses stand to lose £324 million in lost productivity and lost days as a result of hay fever symptoms according to the pharmacy chain.
The runny noses and itchy eyes resulting from hay fever attacks are responsible for around 4 million days taken off work every year. Hay fever affects roughly 15 million people in the UK. Many sufferers claim the symptoms make their lives a living hell for several weeks during the summer.
Lloydspharmacy conducted the research into hay fever at work to mark the launch of a campaign to raise awareness of the plight of hay fever sufferers in the UK. Research was conducted by ICM Research from 30th May – 2nd June 2008 over a sample of 1,000 hay fever sufferers.