Ema Sasic|Palm Springs Desert Sun
If you've attended the Coachella or Stagecoachmusic festivals in the past, youknow that the desert is home to a lot of dust, wind and sometimes both at the same time. And if you've been one of the unlucky ones, you might have developed nasty flu-like symptoms.
Along with bringing home good vibes, somefestivalgoers might experience"Coachella cough" or "festival flu." Dr. Ranjeet Minocha, a board certified allergist with the Eisenhower Allergy and Immunology Clinic, said it's a phenomenon that people can experiencedue to high winds, dust storms, dirt and secondhand smoke. Throw in high pollen counts in April and that makes it the "perfect storm" for ailment, Minocha said.
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TheCoachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is set for this Friday through Sunday and April 22 through 24, while Stagecoach is slated forApril 29 through May 1 at theEmpire Polo Clubin Indio.
If it rains, mud, mold and other allergens can be added to the mix. Luckily the forecast forWeekend 1 at Coachella includes plenty of sunshine and dry conditions. But wind will factor in.
Weather forecast: Mildly warm but windy weather expected for Weekend 1
"When you combine (those environmental factors)with lack of sleep that tends to occur at these events, dehydration, poor hygiene, poor nutrition and all of the yelling and screaming that everyone's doing ...that sort of plays together and why it's such a widespread phenomenon,"Minocha said.
Symptoms caninclude cough, congestionand other flu-like symptoms. These symptomscome ona few days after someone attends a festival, and typically last about a week.If they persist for a longer period of time, people are advised to contact a health care professional.
Individuals witha history of allergies, asthmaor lung disease could experience even more severe symptoms.Minocha said people who know they have these health conditions "need to be on top of taking your medications and aggressively treating your symptoms before itsnowballs." If they also feel that their allergies or asthma areflaring up before they attend the festival, they should consider staying home.
How to avoid getting sick
As thousands head out to the Empire Polo Club over the next three weekends for Coachella and Stagecoach, face coverings should be in every festivalgoers' bag.
"One of the most important things, period, is wearing a mask. A surgical mask or a N95 or KN95 will be better than cloth masks, Minocha said, "though at the same time, I'd rather wear a cloth mask than nothing at all."
Keeping up good hygiene also will be important. Hand-washing should be at the forefront of people's minds, and Minocharecommends they have a bottle of hand sanitizer with them at all times. Staying hydrated in the desert sun is also key, as well as eatingnutritious meals that include fresh fruit and vitamin C.
He also reminds festivalgoers that excessive alcohol and caffeine intake, as well as smoking and vaping, can have harmful effects.
If people do develop those common "festival flu" symptoms, there are plenty of over-the-counter medications to help ease symptoms.Minocha saidlozenges willkeep the lining of the throat moist and help ease coughs.MucinexDM also helps relieve congestion and cough, while Sudafed can bring relief for stuffy noses. Sinus rinses, such as aNeti pot, can help clear out nasal passages, and nasal steroid sprays, likeFlonaseandNasacort, can be "really helpful with targeting the post-nasal drainage that can then potentiate some of these symptoms," he said. Getting plenty of rest and staying well hydrated are also key to recovery.
COVID-19 is still out there
While neither festival is requiring a COVID-19 test, proof of vaccination or masks, the reality of the virus still remains.
Local COVID-19 case and hospitalization numbers have decreased in recent weeks following the wintersurge from the omicron variant, butEisenhower's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alan Williamson said people should still remain vigilant.
"There is a lot of this BA.2 variantout there and possibly there might be some variants sneaking around that we're not 100% sure about yet," Williamson said. "We're talking about an event that not only draws people from all over the country, and there are other parts of the country that are being hit harder than we are, but also all over the world."
"Traditionally we worry a little less about outdoor events than we do indoor events, which that's a good thing, but on the other hand, we're going to be packing a whole lot of people into this outdoor event," he added.
Festivalgoers should keep in mind the same COVID-19 safety measures they've taken over the last two years, Williamson said, such as wearing masks, keeping up with hand-washing and trying to maintain a distance from others as best as they can.
"You just want to be sensible about it and be aware of the fact that the disease is still out there and still circulating among us, so use common sense and basic infection control," he added.
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Ema Sasic covers health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
