NEW YORK CITY — Hay fever sufferers are having a particularly tough spring because of a "pollen tsunami" that is devastating sinuses across the five boroughs.
The winter's heavy snow and rain made pollen more potent than usual, while the extreme cold delayed tree pollination so that it now corresponds with grass pollination, according to Dr. Clifford Basset, the medical director at Allergy and Asthma Care of New York who used the tsunami description.
"We’re seeing what's called a double whammy," he said. "We’ve been hit hard the last 10 days."
As spring blossomed across the city some New Yorkers bombarded social media with shots of the glorious weather and fresh foliage while others grumbled about their runny noses and itchy eyes.
My allergies have never been this awful in NYC. What is going on?!
— LivingMyTruth (@doncooleo) May 5, 2015The beautiful reason I can't get out of bed. F U allergies. F U spring time! #nyc #ne… theheh http://t.co/UCGd7uVdz7 pic.twitter.com/bVXhgcwr1a
— Central Park in pics (@fromcentralprk) April 24, 2015@SueTran I think it's intense pollen from all the flowers/plants. My allergies (which I developed in adulthood) were out of CONTROL in NYC.
— Tam Vo (@tamiam) May 4, 2015Basset said this year he's treated numerous patients with seasonal asthma triggered by pollen or first-time patients who've never suffered from asthma before.
