Medical 

Preparing for the thunderstorm asthma season 

Every year between October and December, there is an increase in hay fever symptoms. During grass pollen season, there is also the chance of an epidemic thunderstorm asthma event (a sudden increase in asthma cases associated with high pollen and an impending thunderstorm).

People at increased risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma include those with: 

• Asthma, 
• A past history of asthma, 
• Undiagnosed asthma (who have asthma symptoms, but have not yet been formally diagnosed) and hay fever (who may or may not have asthma).

Having both asthma and hay fever, as well as poor control and self-management of asthma, increases the risk.

To prepare for this season, we ask that students have a current asthma action plan (developed with the treating medical team) and an allergy plan if required − keep asthma medication readily accessible.

The school will endeavour to:

• avoid circumstances in which students and staff are outside in thunderstorms that occur between October and December, especially during the wind gusts that come before a storm,  
• designate first aid staff who have completed the relevant asthma training and are confident in administering asthma first aid,
• download the VicEmergency app to receive warnings of high-risk days and potential epidemic thunderstorm asthma events, recording that this has been done in the school’s emergency management plan (EMP) 

When renewing EMP, school is to consider how they would respond to an epidemic thunderstorm asthma ‘emergency warning’ during or immediately after dismissal for the day.