April is a great time to be in Georgia, unless you suffer from allergies.
The weather is great, but with the nice weather come pollen counts in the thousands.
Dr. Kevin Schaffer with the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic tells WSB "The primary contributing factors are all trees right now."
Thursday's pollen count of more than 6,000 was the highest in almost two years, and one of the five highest ever recorded in Atlanta. Friday's pollen count fell to 4,482.
Schaffer says the curb at his office was so yellow it looked like someone painted the word "sick" on the side of the curb.
What's his advice for people who are miserable?
Dr. Schaffer says there are some simple things you can do. "If you're really miserable, limit your time outdoors."
If you do have to be outside, he says when you come in take a shower and put on different clothes. Also, keep your windows and doors shut. Also, think about your pets. They can bring pollen in on their fur and their paws.
Dr. Schaffer says "People can get some very good medications on their own right now." Nasal sprays that used to be prescription only are now available over the counter.
If none of this works, he says you should see a doctor.
Why does this pollen season seem worse than others? Dr. Schaffer says it's anybodies guess, but he says he believes "We've had great weather conditions to set us up for a really hefty pollen season."
What Dr. Schaffer says is "shocking" to him is that after our pollen counts hit 5,000 and then came back down after recent rains, they shot back up over 6,000, which he says we "rarely" see.
The bad news is the misery won't end anytime soon. Dr. Schaffer says "The month of April is going to be pretty rough." He says typically we have about a full month where pollen counts hover around a thousand.
Once the tree pollens settle down, we're not done yet. He says the grasses will peak in May.
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