AccuWeatherAllergy season is in full force across the United States, but this year it looks a bit different, as everyone is masked up to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended them more than a year ago, which now raises the question: While our masks help to keep the virus at bay, are they also able to keep out seasonal allergens?According to experts that AccuWeather spoke with, masks can be beneficial for people who experience allergy symptoms in the spring, partially due to the size of pollen particles.

“Masks can prevent pollen from getting in your nose, and therefore can cut down on your pollen allergy symptoms,” Melanie Carver, the Chief Mission Officer for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), said. “Pollen grains are larger than viruses, so anything that can filter a virus can filter pollen.”

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