Pollen season in Georgia starting earlier, lasting longer

ATLANTA — Monday was the sixth day of extreme pollen count levels and many people are feeling the effects.

Channel 2′s Wendy Corona talked to a doctor who said our pollen season starts earlier and lasts longer.

Dr. Lily Hwang with Atlanta Allergy and Asthma said that on Sunday, the 6,974 pollen count was a season high and the 7th highest since the clinic started keeping records 30 years ago.

“For the ones who haven’t started their allergy medications, they may be in trouble,” Hwang said.

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Pam Lowe was visiting Atlanta from Rochester and said she had never seen anything like it.

“All over the cars, all over the roads,” Lowe said. “When it rained, it puddled and funneled down the road. It was crazy! It was like a storm of pollen.”

Leo Catarisano was seeing it and feeling it, too.

“It definitely affected my allergies,” Catarisano said. “I was just telling her that I have a lot of post nasal drip that I haven’t had in a long time.”

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With warmer weather starting sooner, the pollen and allergy season does too.

Hwang said that, on average, her patients typically start medication in late February.

“Now, we’ve moved it to mid-February, and we’re probably going to have to move it towards the end of January, beginning of February,” Hwang said.

Hwang said Atlanta was around the 7,000 count last year at the same time.

One thing you can do to help yourself? Wipe your pet down before it comes in the house and shower before you go to bed. You don’t want to track those irritants in to bed with you.

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