Allergies Coverage

Allergy season is about to get worse. Here's how to prepare.

Springtime comes with an uptick in stuffy noses and scratchy throats, and for many it has nothing to do with COVID-19. There are 19.2 million adults and 5.2 million children in the United States who suffer from seasonal allergies, also called hay fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Knvul Sheikh, New York Times

Pollen in central NC at highest levels of the season

A yellow cloud of pollen is hovering over central North Carolina. Monday, tree pollen levels in Raleigh reached some of the highest levels of the season.

Julian Grace, WRAL anchor/reporter

A look at how pollen impacts allergy season

Dr. Carmelita Swiner gives insight for people struggling with allergies as we enter the spring season.

Tips for dealing with spring allergies

Allergies can lead to more than itchy eyes and a runny nose. They can also trigger other significant health issues, such as an asthma attack.

Children allergic to their plush toys? Try these tips

Dust mites, which love plush fabrics, and pet dander are common triggers for allergy symptoms. But don't worry, you won't necessarily have to ship those gifts back to the North Pole -- or Grandma.

UNC Health

Elizabeth City startup lands $1M grant to use CRISPR to remove peanute allergens

IngateyGen has been awarded a $1 million SBIR grant by the National Science Foundation to develop technology that could remove allergens from peanuts.

How to keep vet bills down as pets battle spring allergies

Spring allergies aren't just rough on people. It can be rough on our pets, too.

Spring allergies are tough on pets, too

The cost of vet treatments can be high as pet allergies take over in the spring.

Pet allergies? Consider insurance to cover recurring treatment costs

Spring allergies aren't just rough on many humans, pets often suffer as well.

By Rick Armstrong, WRAL photojournalist

Are your symptoms COVID-19 or allergies?

5 On Your Side's Monica Laliberte says there are distinctions between allergies and something more.

Differences between COVID-19 and allergy symptoms to be aware of as spring approaches

The haze that fills the air and yellow dust that cover everything return each spring, but with COVID-19 still around, any sign of illness, like a lingering cough, is reason to take notice.

Monica Laliberte, WRAL executive producer/5 On Your Side reporter

Masks give a protective shield for spring allergies

Masks can help allergy sufferers fight pollen in the spring.

Spring allergy season nears but most sufferers may already own an inexpensive measure of prevention

March means we are closer to warmer spring weather as well as the pollen allergies that come with it. More allergy sufferers may save money on medications by using something they probably already own: a good quality mask.

Rick Armstrong, WRAL photojournalist

Duke doc: Follow the science on vaccine safety, allergies

Dr. Leonor Corsino, an adult endocrinologist at Duke University Hospital, did not get her shot like most health officials did during the first week of the Pfizer rollout. "I was a little bit nervous to be honest," she said.

Duke doctor with allergies: Do your homework before getting vaccine

Many people are allergic to something. Medical studies suggest about 2% of Americans have allergies so severe that they can be deadly.

Lora Lavigne, WRAL Durham reporter

Is it fall allergies, COVID or the flu?

Every sniffle and sneeze attracts attention these days, but is it a sign of fall allergies, the flu, or COVID-19? Doctor Frank McGeorge explains what to do if you start suffering symptoms and why the advice will be different this fall, compared to previous years.

Fall allergies and hay fever - this commonly ignored misnomer can make your kids feel miserable

Fall is here, which, unfortunately, here in North Carolina often means the resurgence of seasonal allergy symptoms for many kids (and parents!). In the fall around here, ragweed is the most common allergen that can make some kids feel pretty miserable.

Coleen Hanson Smith, Go Ask Mom writer

How to get a good workout while dealing with seasonal allergies

Working out while dealing with irritating allergy symptoms can be tough. Here are five tips from Purvi Parikh, an allergist with the Allergy & Asthma Network, that will help make your workout routine more bearable.

The Saharan dust is here and bringing gorgeous sunsets to NC

The Saharan dust is here!

Aimee Wilmoth, WRAL weather executive producer

Coronavirus: Facts not fear, June 9, 2020

The CDC says people with moderate to severe asthma may be at higher risk of getting very sick from coronavirus. WRAL's David Crabtree offers details.

Allergies, flu or coronavirus: Which symptoms to look for

Dr. Allen Mask, an urgent care physician, said people who feel sick should look for three major symptoms -- cough, fever and shortness of breath. Those may indicate COVID-19.

Debra Morgan, anchor/reporter, and Rick Armstrong, producer

DRAUGHON DRAWS: Viral allergies? Allergic viruses? It's nothing to sneeze at!

Tuesday, March 10, 2020 -- Capitol Broadcasting Company's editorial cartoonist.

Animals could provide clues to treating humans with the same allergies

A presentation at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center recently explored ways that animals provide clues to treating humans with the same allergies, and on the other hand, treating allergies in people provides insight into ways to treat animals.

Beware mold, other allergens when bringing holiday decor into the home

While some people are allergic to real Christmas trees, the greater allergy risk is mold that accumulates on stored ornaments and decorations.

Researchers making progress against peanut allergies

Researchers are still studying a new treatment that could help those with severe peanut allergies.