Allergy sufferers should also lean into tried-and-true methods of lessening pollen exposure, like keeping windows shut and showering before bed, and getting a good home air purifier.

But it can’t just be on individuals to cope. Workplaces could ensure that indoor air quality, an issue that got attention during the peak pandemic years, continues to be a priority. And local and federal governments should be doing more to blunt the impact of longer allergy seasons.

A good starting place would be to do a better job of tracking pollen counts. Large swaths of the country, including some major cities and several states, don’t even have a pollen station, which are run and funded by volunteers in coordination with the National Allergy Bureau. Anderegg notes that only one exists for his entire home state of Utah. That lack of coverage makes it harder for people like him to effectively study long-term allergen patterns, as well as warn the public about signs of changes that could make them sicker. Cities or states could throw a few dollars at expanding this network.

City planners should also be taking pollen into account as they design vegetation to mitigate the effects of climate change. Increasing tree cover is a vital way to cool down urban heat islands. But tree pollen also is the primary driver of spring allergy woes (grass is typically the main culprit in the summer, and ragweed and mold in the fall), which means urban planners need to make smart planting choices. For decades, cities tended to plant male rather than female trees, as they don’t bear fruit that litters the ground. But male trees make much more pollen, meaning allergy sufferers pay a price for that botanical bias.

“There is a huge potential for trees to cool down cities and help us adapt to heat waves,” Anderegg says. “We just want to plant the right species in the right places for the right reasons.”

A bad allergy season not only results in human suffering, but in high costs for treatments, doctors’ visits and hospitalizations. People miss work due to hay fever and asthma. More often, they head into the office with symptoms and are less productive because of it. Without action, the toll on both our sinuses and the economy will only get worse.

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This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Lisa Jarvis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering biotech, health care and the pharmaceutical industry. Previously, she was executive editor of Chemical & Engineering News.

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