Politics & Government

Allergy Misery Made Worse By Sandy Legacy

Mold spores left behind are being released now across NYC; Doctors say allergy season to be among worst in memory.

This article includes reporting by Joe Dowd.

Six months after Hurricane Sandy tore across the East Coast, mold spores and their impact on allergy sufferers is among the lingering legacies, experts say. 

Allergists say New York City is going through one of its worst allergy seasons in memory, in part because of the mold spawned and left to grow in moisture-prone places. Millions of spores are rising from the warming earth, causing allergy misery across the metro area.

In fact, New York City was ranked as the 10th worst location in the country for allergy sufferers, according to data compiled on ZocDoc, an online medical appointment service.

>>>How to identify symptoms of mold inside your home.

"This year's allergy season is particularly bad, and a lot of it is because of the moisture, part of which was that left by Hurricane Sandy and lingering since the fall," said Dr. Ken Spaeth, director of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at North Shore LIJ Hospital. 

It may get worse, as well: “It is possible that we may see more people experiencing allergies as a result of Hurricane Sandy or pollen in general in the coming weeks," said Dr. Punita Ponda, assistant division chief of allergy and immunology at Cohen Children’s Medical Center.

Hurricane Sandy slammed into Brooklyn six months ago today, on Oct. 29, 2012, leaving in its wake widespread flooding, downed trees, and month-long power outages in waterfront communities. Hardest hit were many South Brooklyn communities, among them Red Hook, which saw widespread devastation and is still recovering. 

In March, leaders from 20 community-based nonprofit organizations gathered at the Brooklyn Community Foundation’s DUMBO offices to discuss how to address long-term recovery needs in Brooklyn communities such as Canarsie, Coney Island, Gerritsen Beach, Red Hook and Sheepshead Bay. The meeting, Brooklyn Recovery Fund Convening Series, convened organizational leaders to facilitate partnerships and eliminate the duplication of planning efforts related to mold remediation and removal as well as ongoing building repairs.

Free mold awareness and mold cleaning training sessions are ongoing in the Brooklyn community. In many cases, mold can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products and proper safety equipment.

Mold, a generic term for an extended family of fungal species, is a natural phenomenon and is all around us. Dr. Spaeth described the fungi world, including the generic "mildew" we find in our bathrooms, as a "remarkable achievement of nature."

"We don’t see it all the time; they only become problematic when the growth is accelerated," he said. "It's on everything and in us and most of the time its not a problem. But some people are affected by it and, clearly, the higher the mold levels become the more symptomatic you can get." 

Ongoing clean-up efforts will help, but basements will take time to fully dry out and see mold growth level off to normal.

The problem won't go away completely until summer, when temperatures rise and work to dry out rain-soaked communities and homes. The lack of moisture will diminish the activity of the mold spores, experts said. 

In the meantime, here are some common mold hot spots to look out for:

  • Your Pillow: It contains as many as 16 species of fungi. Protect yourself by washing your pillow in hot water at least four times a year.
  • Vehicles: Carpets and upholstery retain moisture from outside. Roll down your windows and run the heater during warmer temperatures for a few minutes to dry them out.
  • House Plants: Wipe them clean and leave them near a window to dry out.
  • Pets: Tree and grass pollen is carried on a pet's coat. Bathe the animal weekly.
When will it end? 

"There is no reason to believe (Sandy) will have a mold legacy past this year," Dr. Spaeth said. "If construction repairs are made moisture is eliminated there is no reason to think there will be an ongoing legacy."

That is, until the next big hurricane.


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