MACON, Ga. — As the CDC rolls back masking guidelines, some are wondering if doctors are treating more people with respiratory issues. 13WMAZ went straight to the experts to find out if they are seeing more cases this year.
"This year has really been very tough because the pollen started falling in January -- I saw it on my car," Cynthia Lowery said.
Lowery calls Laurens County home and says the heavy pollen this year caused her allergies to flare up.
"I'm on two allergy medicines," Lowery said.
Are allergy doctors like Dr. David Plaxico in Macon seeing more people in his office this year?
"We are not experiencing as much as just sickness, and I think with a lot of the masking and the sanitation that we are doing, we haven't had as much infections, and it has probably helped with allergies, too, just wearing a mask," Plaxico said.
Dr. Plaxico says compared to 2020, he has seen more patients, but attributes that to more people feeling comfortable leaving their homes. Plaxico says COVID-19 mitigation efforts, vaccines, and medicine he can prescribe are keeping numbers low. He says as more people unmask, there is a possibility there could be a small uptick in patients with respiratory problems.
"If people get outside during the summer, they are doing more sports, more like fishing and stuff like that, they are still going to be out around some of the pollens that are still with them, so it really depends on their activities," Plaxico said.