The state government has decided to allocate $1 million in funding for research into thunderstorm asthma and pollen monitoring.

Minister of health, Hon. Jill Hennessy MP released a report from the IG for Emergency Management in relation to the thunderstorm asthma event that happened in November 2016. The report states that thunderstorm asthma is not a well understood topic and the factors that enable thunderstorm asthma events to be predicted need to be better understood through research.

$700,000 of the funding will be allocated into researching the causes of thunderstorm asthma and the best methods to forecast and predict such events. The remaining $300,000 will be allocated towards Victoria’s pollen monitoring network.

Although pollen season is over for victoria for the time being and thunderstorm activity that triggers asthma is not expected any time soon, it is vital that research is conducted in order to be prepared for future occurrences.

More information can be found on the state government’s health services website.