The mild winter is a problem for people with pollen allergies.
The flight of hazel pollen has already begun, and alder pollen is also being added, said Prof. Regina Treudler, head of the Allergy Center at Leipzig University Hospital.
An electronic pollen monitor on the roof of the clinic has been measuring the pollen concentration for several years
The trend towards ever warmer winters is generally not a good development for allergy sufferers.
"The plant world wakes up early," said Treudler.
This shortens the breather that allergy sufferers normally have in the winter months.
Many people are not only allergic to one thing, said Treudler.
There is a sequence of allergy triggers spread over the year: Early bloomers such as hazel, alder and birch are followed by grasses, then mugwort and also the widespread ragweed herb is a problem for many allergy sufferers.
The allergy expert advises those affected to find out "what flies".
For diagnostic purposes, it also makes sense to keep a kind of diary so that treatment actually hits the right allergen.
In the case of mild symptoms, people should treat the affected organs themselves, said Treudler.
So nasal spray and eye drops should be used to prevent a sniffle and itchy eyes.
Anti-allergy tablets could also provide relief.
Severe allergies should then - after appropriate diagnostics - be treated specifically with hyposensitization.