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SALT LAKE CITY -- The early spring has brought with it a host of sneezing, sniffles and watery eyes. Allergy season has officially arrived.
A mix of early blooms and spring breezes are aggravating allergies. Tonna Russell is allergic to trees and grass and has felt the allergy symptoms already.
"If I go outside, and get near some trees I'll start to get bad," Russell said. "Bad enough that you feel like you have a cold, so you don't feel great."
Pollen reports show the count is in the red zone right now. Trees -- especially cottonwood are flourishing. Oak and Cedar trees are filling the air with significant pollen, too.
Symptom check: Cold or allergy?
| Symptom | Cold | Allergy |
|---|---|---|
| Cough | Usually | Sometimes |
| General aches & pains | Sometimes | Never |
| Fatigue | Sometimes | Sometimes |
| Itchy eyes | Rarely | Usually |
| Sneezing | Usually | Usually |
| Sore throat | Usually | Sometimes |
| Runny nose | Usually | Usually |
| Stuffy nose | Usually | Usually |
| Fever | Rarely | Never |
Allergists are getting ready for the influx of people who are silently suffering. Dr. Amit Shah said he's seeing people hit with a double-whammy right now. Not only is the early spring is bringing on allergy symptoms fast, he said, but people are also suffering from late-winter bronchial infections that mimic asthma.
"It's real, it's very, very real," Shah said. "People who never really had any problems before from an allergy standpoint are coming in here quite a bit with significant symptoms because they're really not sure what to do."
