DANGER DAY: How you can reduce your thunderstorm asthma risk today
Victorians have been warned to be on high alert for thunderstorm asthma symptoms today.
3AW Breakfast listener Peter said he’s had to call an ambulance for his daughter.
“She suffers asthma and she can’t breathe,” he said.
“Everyone be careful.”
Professor of medicine at University of Melbourne and allergy specialist at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Jo Douglass, says it’s a “time of high risk”.
“If you have hay fever and you already know you have asthma you’re especially at risk,” she told Ross and Russel.
“It’s five years since 2016 and we have a thunderstorm asthma event every five to seven years so we’re owed one.”
Professor Douglass says about one-in-10 people have asthma, but only half of them know it.
She urged anyone who knows they have asthma to have an asthma plan, stay inside with windows and doors closed, and take their preventer regularly (especially during the high risk period in October and November.
Anyone who begins to show signs of a thunderstorm asthma attack is urged to get medical treatment early.
Press PLAY below to hear how you can reduce your risk
3AW Breakfast listener Peter said he’s had to call an ambulance for his daughter.
“She suffers asthma and she can’t breathe,” he said.
“Everyone be careful.”
Press PLAY below to hear Peter’s warning and more on the wild weather
A high-risk of epidemic #ThunderstormAsthma is forecast in the Mallee, South West and Wimmera districts tomorrow.
This is the first high risk of the season and a good reminder to be prepared. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/kAeHLkHxXk— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) October 27, 2021