How you can prepare for thunderstorm asthma season

August 28, 2024

Health professionals such as general practitioners, pharmacists, and nurses play a crucial role in minimising the risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma events in the community.

What is thunderstorm asthma?

Grass pollen season brings a seasonal increase in asthma and hay fever. It also brings the chance of thunderstorm asthma. When a large number of people develop asthma symptoms over a short period of time, caused by high amounts of grass pollen and a certain type of thunderstorm, it is known as epidemic thunderstorm asthma.

Melbourne experienced the world’s largest epidemic thunderstorm asthma event on 21 November 2016, with thousands of people developing breathing difficulties in a very short period of time.

Who is most at risk?

Those at risk of thunderstorm asthma include:

  • people with asthma
  • people with undiagnosed asthma (i.e. people who have asthma symptoms but have not yet been diagnosed with asthma)
  • people who have had asthma in the past
  • people with hay fever who may or may not have asthma.

What can you do to prepare?

Improving the diagnosis, clinical care, and self-management of asthma and hay fever is essential to addressing the threat of epidemic thunderstorm asthma events. This approach will not only reduce the impact of such events but also enhance the overall health and well-being of individuals with these conditions between events.

Health professionals can take advantage of epidemic thunderstorm asthma training programs and resources, which include:

  • A thunderstorm asthma flowchart for pharmacists
  • Resources for emergency departments and urgent care centers to facilitate self-assessment and gap analysis of preparedness for epidemic thunderstorm asthma events.
  • information to support community pharmacies to prepare their pharmacies and clients for the risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma.

Additional resources are also available from the National Asthma Council.

Translated resources

Translated consumer materials can be found on the Thunderstorm asthma – multicultural resource page.

See the Vic Department of Health for a Thunderstorm asthma campaign toolkit, helping to raise public awareness about thunderstorm asthma, who is at risk, asthma first aid and prevention.

For more information


Latest news

May 21, 2025
It was an honour to welcome our government leaders to our Prahran Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) to discuss UCCs and how they’re helping to take the pressure off hospital emergency departments.
May 19, 2025
SEMPHN is proud to support Get Your Reconciliation On , a vibrant and free community event hosted by First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing to mark the start of Reconciliation Week 2025.
May 15, 2025
Important updates informing general practices about GPACI Q4 service and payment requirements, MyMedicare accreditation details, and patient registration and consent and record keeping requirements.