It is kind of strange that those folks have mentioned allergies like maybe it is new for them. I’m not ruling out your aerosol suspicions but it isn’t really that weird to have allergies this times of year. I have wicked hay fever and pollen allergies in late summer. Mom used to have to send me to school with a note explaining my bloodshot eyes and stuffy head. I wasn’t sick, I was allergic to outside. Thank God for Flonase, it’s under control now. I sure hope it’s just allergies for those bloggers.
I live in the desert and get allergies from April - June (they stop the second the temps go over 100°) and then again late August - early October (Desert Broom bloom). So it’s not unusual for me at all, but I think it’s unusual for this time of year in Great Britain.