5 ways that lockdowns and restrictions could be affecting our allergies Over this last year, lockdowns and restrictions have led to changes in the day-to-day environments for people across the world. For Allergy Awareness week, we wanted to explore some of the significant ways that this may have impacted our experiences with allergies. Allergies are common, with around 44% of UK adults suffering from at least one allergy. 1 Alongside a genetic influence, 2 environmental factors have a key role in the development and severity of allergies. 3 Over this last year, across the world, lockdowns and restrictions have led to changes in our day-to-day environments. For Allergy Awareness week 2021, we explored some of the significant ways that this may have impacted our experiences with allergies.