Wearing a mask can help beat allergies

Anti-maskers are protesting on the Plaza and at the Railyard. Meanwhile, the rest of us are remembering what we learned last year during the first spring of this pandemic.

Wearing masks outdoors helps keep out pollen, which can make allergy season more tolerable. And, oh, for a tolerable spring instead of one spent sick with allergies.

That’s because in Santa Fe, the joy we feel as life returns in spring — crocuses pushing through the dirt, lilacs budding, seeds sprouting — is tempered by the yellow clouds of pollen so thick they appear like mini dust storms. Some 10 percent to 20 percent of the general population is estimated to have allergic rhinitis; that’s a significant number of people brought low.

Even on the loveliest of days, sneezing and coughing are commonplace. Sufferers are joking they need a face mask that says, “Allergies. It’s just allergies.”

For people who love the outdoors, anecdotal reports of walks made more tolerable because of masks have become common. Eyes still can become itchy and watery. But keeping pollen out of noses — which masks do — seems to help reduce allergy symptoms, say regular walkers in their Facebook and Twitter posts. For eyes, face shields are a possibility to relieve symptoms.

It’s not just average people who are paying attention. Scientists and doctors also noticed that allergy symptoms seem to be decreasing, and studies already are attempting to understand more about how masks might help.

A National Institute of Health study published in the fall found that nurses who wore face masks during the pandemic were reporting fewer symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Both standard surgical masks and N95 respirators filtered out airborne allergens, according to study authors. The researchers surveyed 1,824 nurses in Israel and found both mild and severe allergy sufferers reported a significant drop in their symptoms while wearing masks compared to not wearing masks.

That’s logical, since masks are designed to reduce particles that wearers breath in — and that includes various-sized particles of pollen. Keeping out pollen can reduce allergy symptoms, so wearing masks makes sense when pollen counts are high. The masks also block other allergens, including fungal spores and house dust mite feces.

For best results, it is important to keep masks clean for them to work properly. That’s true whether masks are being worn to keep out allergens or germs. Outdoors, wearing a disposable mask, at least as a first layer, seems like sound strategy. Masks need to fit tightly around the nose, too. Keep the particles out.

Pollen counts for juniper and elm are high right now. Sufferers need relief. Pandemic aside, your best friend for relief from sneezing, coughing and a runny nose could be a mask.