Here’s an unexpected benefit from wearing a mask during the pandemic: It may also reduce fall allergy symptoms, one expert says.
“Masks that people use for protection from COVID-19, particularly those that filter out more particles like the N95 or KN95 masks, also tend to filter out pollen,” Dr. Luz Fonacier, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) says.
“As we face an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases nationwide, and as more people are putting their masks back on, they may find their allergy symptoms decreasing a bit,” she says.
Every fall, ragweed pollen is the biggest allergy trigger and should be avoided, along with mold and grass pollen.
Ragweed usually starts releasing pollen with cool nights and warm days in August and can last into September and October, Fonacier explains.
Most people allergic to spring plants are
