Predominately high birch pollen levels have appeared early and are already terrorizing allergy sufferers from Fairbanks to the Kenai Peninsula.
Dr. Eric Meier with the Alaska Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Center of Alaska said only Anchorage and Fairbanks take air pollen samples.
Dr. Meier: “I tell my patients when I see them if they are from the Kenai Peninsula that whatever’s happening in Anchorage will probably be mirrored in Kenai because it’s only 60 miles are distance and like I mentioned these things tend to be wind pollinated so they do fly around the whole areas.”
Anchorage pollen levels are currently considered very high, making residents with allergies and asthma particularly miserable, but also potentially impacting other residents who don’t typically experience symptoms.
On Monday, Fairbanks broke its previous pollen count record which was just shy of Denmark’s world-record pollen measurement that was taken in 2014.
Anchorage’s pollen patterns usually lag approximately a week or two behind Fairbanks’.
Vulnerable Alaskans, such as elderly residents, children, and those with asthma should stay indoors during morning time when trees pollinate, as well as take breathing precautions.
Suggested precautions include keeping windows closed or using HEPA filters to remove pollen from indoor ventilation systems.
You can check pollen counts in Anchorage by clicking here.