WASHINGTON — You hear it all the time – people say they never suffered from allergies until they came here. But truth be known, there are no allergy-free zones.
The New York Times reports about 45 percent of people over 6 years old test positive for at least one allergen, no matter what part of the country they live in.
There are regional differences, though: Grass and ragweed allergies are higher in the West, according to the Times; mold allergy is higher in the East. And the most common allergies among adults everywhere are to dust mites, grass and ragweed.
In 2013, D.C. ranked 83rd for spring allergies on a list of Allergy Capitals from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Virginia Beach ranked 34th, Richmond ranked 57th. Baltimore ranked 81st.
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