by Doug Radunich
STAFF WRITER
Utah's infamous allergy season is running rampant in the Tooele Valley with the pollen not likely to stop kicking around until the beginning of winter.
Marsha Branan, a certified pollen counter for Intermountain Allergy and Asthma's Draper office, said allergy season in Tooele County right now is likely worse than it is in the Salt Lake area.
"Tooele County is worse because there's so much more wind blowing pollen and mold around, and there are also a lot of native plants and western weeds like sagebrush there too," Branan said. "When our office was in West Valley, we got a lot of patients from Tooele County who were suffering from allergies, and we still see some who come all the way out to Draper."
Jenny Johnson, health program specialist for the Utah Department of Health's asthma program, said that even though the allergy season will typically start with pollinating trees in February, this year it began in the middle of March. She said the late-season start was mostly due to rough weather conditions at the beginning of this year.
"Allergy season started later this year in comparison to past years, and it's because we had a wet spring and summer, which caused the trees and flowers to not bloom as early as usual," Johnson said. "A lot of people have been suffering hard this season."
With the pollen kickup starting later than usual, Branan said she didn't have to start the counting process for pollen until the middle of March this year.
"Our season was about three weeks behind this year compared to previous years, and part of it is because we had such a cool spring and so much moisture in Utah this year," she said. "It's been an unusual year so far because usually we'd be in our grass season around this time. However, we haven't seen much grass come out yet."
Utah's pollen count includes high counts for trees such as mulberry, maple, sycamore, oak, birch, cedar and cottonwood. On Wednesday, the highest pollen count was mulberry, with a count of 428.
Johnson said asthma can be triggered by allergic reactions caused by pollen or mold. She said part of her asthma program's focus is to see how people with asthma can better manage their condition during allergy season.
"It has to be hard for people with asthma, after they see that the snow has melted and they can finally go outside, to see that there is so much pollen everywhere that can trigger asthma," Johnson said. "It's important that they talk to their doctor to see what they can do to enjoy being outside, and there may also be some medications they can take. For those who may just be allergic to trees, spring is usually the worst pollen time because everything is out in blossom."
Branan said the trees release their pollen in March and will slow down in May or June, while the grass will release its pollen in May or June and slow down at the end of July. She said weeds will start releasing pollen after July, and that July will usually be a low-pollen month. Pollen is usually expected to end when temperatures get below 28 degrees and snow is on the ground.
"We will usually stop doing the pollen count in November," Branan said.
According to the Utah Department of Health, people suffering from asthma or serious allergies can help control their symptoms in a number of ways. It is advised that they keep car windows closed and use air conditioning when driving, stay indoors on windy days and when the pollen count or humidity is high, stay away from freshly cut lawns, change clothes in a utility room instead of a bedroom, shower before going to bed, and dry sheets and clothing in a dryer instead of on a clothesline, so pollen and mold don't collect on them.
"People should also be sure to keep their windows closed at night to keep pollen and mold out, and they shouldn't mow their lawns on days when the pollen count is high because it can stir up pollen and mold," Johnson said. "Pollen is also found to be higher on windy and warm days. People should also reduce their physical activity between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., because pollen is at its most active during the early morning."
dougrad@tooeletranscript.com