Allergy Sneeze A Wet, Mucusy Reminder That Mask Is Working

Kenton resident Alli Hamm has played by the rules for the entire pandemic. She keeps six feet of distance from others. She washes her hands for 20 seconds, no exceptions. And of course, she always wears her face mask in public. She also suffers from hellacious hay fever during the spring.⁣
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“Fucking pollen!” screamed a muffled Hamm through her wet, mucusy mask. “What am I supposed to do when I’m in an indoor public space and get an allergy attack? Yesterday at New Seasons I sneezed eleven times in a row into my mask. It’s pretty amazing how well the mask worked to stop me from spraying snot all over the Sumo Citrus, but then I had to deal with a soiled face diaper for the remainder of the shopping trip.“⁣
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Many Portlanders have reported especially brutal allergies this year, and some have come up with clever hacks to survive the onslaught of pollen. Sellwood seamstress Sheila Silverton spent all winter developing a new mask just for people like Hamm. “It has the filter sleeve everyone has come to expect, but then it also features a second sleeve specifically for a Kleenex,” explained Silverton. “The Kleenex goes on the inside, touching your face. So when you’re done with your allergy attack, just replace the tissue and you’re good to go!”