COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. — Central Virginia is currently experiencing the effects of spring and it seems no one is escaping the pollen.
Dr. Abraham Teklu at Center Well Senior Primary Care noted that Richmond is ranked as the 8th worst city in the U.S. for allergies.
Teklu said that with tree pollen counts very high, allergy sufferers should stay indoors as much as possible, wear a mask outdoors and use a HEPA filter indoors to improve air quality.
"I’ve never seen it this bad," Marge Baker, who was getting her car washed Friday in Colonial Heights, said about the yellow powdery substance that covers everything, including vehicles.
Many others echoed her sentiments, with one person saying, "It’s terrible, it’s terrible," and another noting, "It is horrible."
For drivers, the pollen's impact is hard to ignore. But it is a boon for area car washes.
“Snow, it’s a hit or a miss here in Virginia, but with the pollen, that is a guarantee," Chris Brinson with Flagstop Car Wash said. "Every spring we see some good volume.”
Many customers are willing to wash their cars frequently to keep up with the pollen, with some saying they can hardly see because of it.
"We have people that come every day," Brinson added.
In fact, Baker said she was getting her car washed for the second time in just two days.
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As for relief from the pollen, Carl Price said he was hoping for a change in the weather while he waited for his SUV to be washed.
"I’m hoping for a good rain, so we can knock some of this stuff out of the air right now," he said.
Employees at car washes are feeling overwhelmed by the high volume of vehicles
“I tell them if they can make it through this, they can make it through anything,” Brinson said.
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