April 7, 2024, 7:39 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Runny nose, itchy and watery eyes–when hay fever season starts, many people would rather not leave the house. Or they might venture out for a walk despite the pollen. Pollen apps can help allergy sufferers navigate spring safely.
About 15 percent of the German population likely greet spring and early summer with mixed feelings: The days get longer, the sun shines and warms the air, and everything is in bloom. And that’s precisely the problem for many allergy sufferers. Hay fever is a widespread condition that ruins Sunday walks in the park or even the daily commute to work for many. While apps can’t stop runny noses and itchy eyes, they can inform users about general and personal allergy risks in their area. TECHBOOK introduces four pollen apps.
Overview
“Pollen+” from the Austrian Pollen Information Service
The “Pollen+” app–available for free on iOS and Android–comes from the Austrian Pollen Information Service, which also offers a comprehensive pollen report on its website. The app’s design resembles that of the website, but it allows users to set up their location and an individual allergy profile. From manual entries in the integrated pollen diary, “Pollen+” can derive a personalized forecast of local pollen levels. The allergy risk for the next three days is determined on a scale from one to five.
Additionally, “Pollen+” includes a plant compass with general information about the blooming periods of various allergenic plants. The data the pollen app inevitably collects includes app interactions, crash logs, and diagnostic data. Optional data includes email addresses, health data, and location, if local pollen and weather warnings are desired. The data is stored under the responsibility of the ENT Clinic of the Medical University of Vienna at the Aerobiology and Pollen Information Research Group.
The app is available in Austria, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Sweden. The Pollen Information Service also offers an allergy test in the form of a questionnaire on its website. For those fed up and wanting to start therapy, the pollen app will remind them in the fall.
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“GesundheitsWetter” from the German Weather Service
The “GesundheitsWetter” app from the German Weather Service is available for 0.99 euros for both iOS and Android. As the name suggests, “GesundheitsWetter” is not just a pollen app. In addition to local pollen forecasts for hazel, alder, ash, birch, grasses, rye, mugwort, and ragweed, the app also includes other hazard information and official weather warnings. These include UV and heat warnings and information about weather conditions that can affect weather-sensitive individuals with asthma or cardiovascular issues.
The functional design may seem somewhat official and outdated, but it allows for clear visibility. Strong personalization like in “Pollen+” is not possible with “GesundheitsWetter.”
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“Husteblume” from Techniker Krankenkasse
The “Husteblume” app from Techniker Krankenkasse–free for iPhone or Android–has a very modern, almost playful look with color fields and smileys. Like the “Pollen+” app, it also features a pollen diary to enable personalized forecasts. Users can record daily how they feel and what specific symptoms they have.
In addition to pollen forecasts, the app also tracks the user’s medication intake. “Husteblume” also includes a lexicon on allergens and dealing with allergies. A question-guided allergy test is also part of the app’s features. However, as always, a self-test can be helpful for an initial suspicion but does not replace a medical allergy test. Regarding data protection, the developers state that no data is shared with Techniker Krankenkasse. Users can request the deletion of their data if desired.
“klarify” from Allergy Lab Copenhagen
The “klarify” app is particularly tailored to those who are severely affected by pollen and want to closely monitor their well-being, symptoms, and triggers. Like the other pollen apps, “klarify” provides information about local pollen risks and how they are influenced by current weather conditions. Through a pollen diary, the app allows for comprehensive personalization, including charts that combine pollen levels and subjective well-being. This is especially interesting for those who want to find out what they react to most strongly in practice.
“klarify” is an app from the Danish startup of the same name. Behind Klarify is the long-established pharmaceutical company Allergy Lab Copenhagen (ALK), which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023. The “klarify” app is free for iOS and Android and is available in German, English, French, Danish, Dutch, and Slovak.
Overall, pollen apps can improve the quality of life for allergy sufferers by allowing them to take their medication more precisely based on their personal risk assessment. Or they can decide for or against a walk in the woods and meadows based on the forecast. Apps that allow for high personalization can also help users better understand their allergies, their effects, and triggers in the long term. However, it remains true: For those with allergies who still want to leave the house, these apps only help to a limited extent. If the allergy is very burdensome, medical therapy may be an option.