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Put Down The Tissues! Grass Pollen Season Largely Over...After The Fireworks

Sloan Poe
/
Flickr.com

It’s not just smoke from fireworks that clears up on the Fifth of July.  It’s also grass pollen, giving allergy sufferers across the Willamette Valley greater independence from sneezing fits and watery eyes. KLCC’s Brian Bull explains.

Over the Memorial Day weekend, pollen counts peaked, as regional grass fields released pollen into the air.  Melanie Wayne, of Oregon Allergy Specialists says it was predicted things would improve come July 4th.

“We look forward to the fields in our surrounding areas get cut and hayed," says Wayne.  "That brings down the pollen count.  And we’re right on target. Our counts came down into the 50s, whereas they were up over 600…”

That’s parts per million (ppm), by the way. Wayne says many people can now relax and enjoy summer.

“There are some weed pollens that get going here throughout July and August, but our pollen counts for the weed pollens don’t nearly measure up to what we get for grass or even tree pollen.”

Wayne says it’s best to start your allergy regimen in April or May, ahead of the big grass pollen release in June.

Copyright 2018, KLCC.

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.
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