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Allergies Worse This Season? Blame The Coronavirus

Ideastream Public Media - WCPN News

Published June 17, 2020 at 11:46 AM EDT

If your allergies are worse this season, you might blame it on the coronavirus pandemic.

University Hospitals allergist Dr. Sam Friedlander said it’s possible that allergies are worse now because people stayed home all spring to avoid the virus.

Friedlander said when people have new exposures to allergies, they have a dramatic increase in symptoms.

That means less time outside during the spring while people stayed home could have an impact.

“If you’re not around the allergy because you were staying inside and then now you’re coming outside, you would expect that there would be a huge increase in symptoms,” Friedlander said.

Friedlander said the masks people are wearing to prevent COVID-19 spread could block and filter out some allergens, but it’s important to remember to not rub your eyes and nose because that could expose you to the coronavirus.

He said during the stay-at-home order, he saw fewer patients, but now that people are making doctor's appointments again, they are overwhelmed by patients suffering from seasonal allergies.