As allergy season collides with yet one more rise in COVID-19 circumstances nationwide, deciphering the distinction between signs of the coronavirus and allergy symptoms will be tough. So how will you inform the distinction between the 2?
"The pollen counts are up all through the nation, and the signs will be fairly related," board licensed allergist, pediatrician and immunologist Dr. Anjuli Mehrotra advised CBS Information' Vladimir Duthiers and Nancy Chen Thursday.
In response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, frequent signs between seasonal allergy symptoms and COVID can embrace cough, headache and tiredness.
Seasonal allergy symptoms don't normally trigger shortness of breath, which is a symptom in step with COVID, until the particular person has a respiratory situation like bronchial asthma. Allergy symptoms additionally don't sometimes trigger a fever, chills, physique aches or a lack of style or scent, that are all frequent signs of COVID-19.
In the meantime, COVID doesn't normally trigger sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, a runny or stuffy nostril, or sore throat, that are frequent allergy symptoms signs, the CDC says.
Regardless of the variations in signs, Mehrotra urges those that are not sure to err on the aspect of warning.
"It is truly finest to contemplate it COVID till confirmed in any other case," she mentioned. "Should you're having signs, I'd not hesitate to take an at residence COVID-19 check, particularly a fast antigen check may very well be actually helpful on this situation."
Mehrotra mentioned those that have seasonal allergy symptoms are usually not at a better threat for contracting COVID-19, or for experiencing extra extreme signs with the virus. However she warned that these with reasonable to extreme bronchial asthma may very well be at elevated threat of hospitalization with COVID.
In response to the Bronchial asthma and Allergy Basis of America, greater than 50 million Individuals expertise varied sorts of allergy symptoms yearly. Allergy symptoms are attributable to the immune system reacting to a overseas substance comparable to pollen or animal dander.