SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - For the last two days, we've seen the smoke and haze from the New Jersey wildfires traveling through our area.
The combination of that and the high pollen levels, seen in the past few weeks, has made it tough to be outside for many.
Midday Thursday, CoastTV News was able to see the smoky and hazy skies by Route 113 in Georgetown. As for the pollen, it could be seen on almost every car. People told CoastTV their allergies have been bad lately.
Dr. Syed Mahmood, a pulmonologist and critical care physician at Bayhealth, says both the smoke and pollen are risk factors for people with lung conditions, especially those with asthma and COPD.
"What I would expect to see with this combination is that a lot of patients who already are on maintenance therapies or have control of their lung function may have some exacerbations," Dr. Mahmood said.
Dr. Mahmood advises the first thing those most affected should do.
"Make sure you're taking your maintenance inhalers. If you're already on inhalers, make sure you're doing that. Have your rescue inhaler with you and make sure it hasn't run out. If it's run out, please contact your doctor and get a refill, and then try to avoid triggers," Dr. Mahmood said.
Dr. Mahmood recommends keeping an eye on the Air Quality Index and pollen count, and if you need to go outside, he says wearing a mask is a good idea for the next few days.