Early Spring Weather Makes For Longer Bay Area Allergy Season

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) - Health experts say changing weather patterns have Bay Area allergy sufferers sneezing and sniffing more days of the year.

The first week of spring and warmer temperatures have people preparing for allergy season, but during a pandemic some might mistake the annual reaction to pollen, dust, mold, and other allergens with COVID symptoms.

"There are many trees that are starting to pollinate starting as early as January," said Dr. Tina Sindher, a Stanford Health Care allergist. "Young children, they come in and they say baseball season is the worst because I'm out there and I'm just so sniffy. But the rest of the year they are perfectly fine."

Sindher said she has patients complaining about symptoms earlier in the year than they did five or ten years ago, a trend she expects will continue as allergies will be aggressive this year. She says grass and trees are the leading causes of allergies in the Bay Area.

While climate change is affecting allergy season negatively, this year the drought in California and less precipitation could lead to fewer trees pollinating.

Sindher warns that other sources will make up the difference so there will not be much relief. She also advises taking a rapid COVID test to eliminate the possibility someone contracted the virus, with similar symptoms to seasonal allergies.

"Fever is not something we expect with allergies, so if you have a fever, definitely think about what else is going on," she said. "If it's consistent with what you remember and the timing and it's kind of ongoing without any known triggers and you're otherwise doing well, it's most likely allergy."

Sindher says allergy diseases have grown exponentially over the decades and many factors come into play when someone has a reaction, including genetics. She suggests anyone with allergies get tested so patients can learn what exactly is irritating them and if they can avoid it.

"If someone has not been evaluated by their allergist, they should go to identify what their specific triggers might be," Sindher said.