For millions of allergy sufferers, the turning of seasons from the humdrum of winter to the spring awakening is no cause for celebration. Instead, the coming of spring marks congestion, wheezing, coughs, sniffles and the rundown feeling that one gets from allergies. This year may be the strongest allergy season yet, given that changes in the world’s climate have shifted allergen growing seasons, extending the amount of time plants and other foliage produce pollen and other allergens.

According to research published this month in Nature Communications, the pollen season in North America will arrive 20 days earlier and last eight days longer, releasing 20 percent more pollen into the air than it did 30 years ago.

According to the IQVIA, a healthcare data analysis company, by March, 27 percent of the United States already had medium to high pollen counts. People can track pollen counts at the National Allergy Bureau website to determine where their area stands, pollen-wise.

The early onset of allergy season can wreak havoc on lives and lifestyles. To combat that, Thomas Johnson, MD, of Allergy and Asthma Care of Florida says sufferers should get tested to determine exactly what pollens they are allergic to, before getting medication or trying over-the-counter remedies.

At work, employees who are allergy sufferers should ensure that doors and windows are kept closed, and should talk with facility managers about ways to remove allergens from the indoor air.

Facility managers themselves should understand that allergens are brought in from outdoors in a number of ways: from fresh air being pumped into facilities; on the clothing of people coming in from outdoors; and by opened windows.

That’s why the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology recommends proper air filtration with HEPA filters to remove allergens like pollen from enclosed spaces. For example, the complete line of Fellowes AeraMax Pro commercial-grade air purifiers employ a unique four-stage air filtration system centered around True HEPA filters. This system effectively and efficiently removes up to 99.97 percent of airborne contaminants including allergens, such as pollen, dust, pet dander, and smoke from indoor spaces. The units clean the indoor air and provide up to five air changes per hour (ACH).

ACH is the rate in which indoor air in an enclosed space is completely recycled, making for fresher, cleaner air. The more changes per hour, the more quickly the air is purified, and the more quickly contaminants are removed. A machine created for the home may only change the air 1x per hour, which isn’t enough for places like conference rooms where people are congregating.

You should be aiming for 3-5 air changes per hour. A solution with superior filtration and more air changes per hour is going to do a more effective job at maintaining air quality. According to Harvard Schools for Health, they recommend utilizing True HEPA filtration in addition to HVAC systems to ensure proper ventilation and filtration.

Fortunately for allergy sufferers, Fellowes AeraMax Pro air purifiers can provide relief.  They work to clean a room of other airborne contaminants like allergens continually, offering occupants clean, fresh air throughout pollen season and beyond. The units use an array of patented EnviroSmart™ self-regulating sensors, automatically monitoring a room to provide on demand air purification. This greatly reduces the airborne triggers and uses air purification as a foundation for fighting every allergy season. In addition, only Fellowes AeraMax Pro air purifiers feature Pureview™, a display which shows real-time updates on air quality and machine performance, providing occupants peace of mind that the air is clean.