Here’s extra reason to stay inside — seasonal allergies could be historically severe this year, experts warn.
With New Yorkers already suffering severe cabin fever, the next four months are “expected to see near-record levels” of tree, grass and then weed pollen, Accuweather’s Jack Boston told The Post.
“People who suffer allergies are not going to enjoy the summer a whole lot,” the senior meteorologist warned.
Sniffing and itchy eyes are already causing many sufferers to panic that they could instead have the coronavirus, with the World Health Organization saying that runny noses and sore throats are symptoms suffered by “some” with the contagion.
The allergies will then stretch most of the summer in New York — potentially ruining sufferers’ re-entry to the great outdoors once the lockdowns are over.
The rise in pollen levels isn’t just in the US, however — with British officials warning that the next few days will see the highest levels there since records began in 1951, according to The Sun.
Forecasts that they will reach “near-record levels” here do not come as a surprise for experts who say it follows an ongoing trend.
“In general, each pollen season has been increasingly worse than the previous season,” Melanie Carver of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America told The Post.
“Warmer temperatures are leading to prolonged allergy seasons for many locations.”
In New York, tree pollen is expected to reach a peak this month, followed by grass pollen worsening through July until weed pollen sees out the summer, Boston said.
“Nationwide, most areas are going to be above well above average this year,” meteorologist Boston said, with the whole eastern seaboard hit hardest.
“The New York City area is actually going to be one of the worst areas — well above average and probably near-record levels,” he warned.