Two of Connecticut’s cities, Hartford and New Haven, made the top 10 list of allergy capitals this year, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Pam Angelo, a UConn Health registered nurse who specializes in allergies, said this is not surprising.
"I've been doing the allergy department here for about almost six years. And it does seem to be getting worse each year," said Angelo.
The report attributes the worsening conditions to the warming climate.
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To minimize the impact of pollen, Angelo recommended people:
- Keep your windows shut
- Shower before bed to get any pollen off your skin
- Wash your bed linens often
- Take over-the-counter medication to help ease symptoms
- Wear a mask during yard work
- Avoid the outdoors between 5am-10am when pollen counts peak
Rhonda Darby and Mary Beth DelGaudio are both allergy sufferers, but they say they can’t pass up their frequent walks at Elizabeth Park on the Hartford, West Hartford line.
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“Not walking is not an option right now. I don’t love the heat, so I’ll deal with the allergies while it’s very comfortable,” said Darby.
“I have a little bit of allergies, not as bad as her. So I can be outside longer whereas she’s going to go home after this and take a break from the outside,” said DelGaudio.
It can be tough to know if your symptoms are just allergies or something more severe like COVID, so the registered nurse said to watch for a fever and body aches. Those are signs of a virus and not allergies.
