For freshman psychology major Kate Sullivan, warm weather and blossoming plants are a source of stress, not celebration.
Sullivan, and many other students on the campus, said those early signs of spring remind them it is pollen season. University Health Center employees and local pharmacies said more students have already reported worse symptoms than in previous years from tree and grass pollen, which reached peak levels this month.
“My allergies are really bad,” Sullivan said. “I had to leave my 8 a.m. class because I was hacking so hard from being outside.”
This year’s warmer winter with less rain is to blame for increases in pollen, which trigger the sneezing, coughing and watery eyes, making many students miserable, according to NBC4 meteorologist Tom Kierein. Tree pollen levels typically peak in early May, but they have already reached a high point in recent weeks following the warmest March on record for the Washington area.
“The pollen levels have reached the high range about two to three weeks earlier than in an average year,” Kierein said.
However, the city is still experiencing “very high” levels — College Park registered at 10.7 out of 12 on yesterday’s pollen index, according to pollen.com.
“Students are advised to take allergy medication and stay inside,” Health Center Clinical Director Gail Le wrote in an email.
Angela Odunlami, a pharmacist at CVS on Route 1, said more students seeking relief has increased their sales of over-the-counter allergy medications, such as Claritin, Nasonex and Zyrtec, in recent weeks.
Some students said said they are used to dealing with irritating pollen during the spring months.
“It’s always bad for me around this time of year,” said freshman letters and sciences major Meagan Glynn, who added that she takes a combination of prescription and over-the-counter medications.
In order to suppress her coughing, sneezing and congestion, Sullivan said she may use up to six different medications and still worries about waking up her roommate at night. The symptoms have been worse this year, she said.
“I’ve had to take more allergy medicine than I normally do, and it doesn’t seem to be working as well,” she said. “I’ve blamed it on the new environment, but I’m not sure what it could be.”
Kierein said pollen levels were not necessarily reaching new heights — in fact, he said, peak concentrations were lower than in previous years, though the peak was earlier.
Other students said they could not tell whether there was more pollen.
“I haven’t noticed that my allergies seem worse this year — I’ve been taking Claritin,” freshman letters and sciences major Mehnaz Bader said. “But they’re definitely earlier.”
Washington’s tree pollen levels typically reach 66 grains per cubic meter in February, compared to the month’s average of 239 this year, according to Susan Kosisky, a microbiologist at the U.S. Army Centralized Allergen Extract Lab in Silver Spring. Kosisky said winter temperatures as high as 80 degrees triggered the increase.
Kosisky noted those affected by tree and grass pollen will soon see relief.
“With the early start to the season, we also should see an earlier end,” she said. “While still high, tree pollen counts are finally on the decline.”
For Sullivan, the end can’t come quickly enough. She said she plans to look into additional treatment options through the Health Center’s Allergy Clinic.
“In the long term, I’ll probably get allergy shots done there because it’s just getting ridiculous,” she said.
blasey@umdbk.com