Allergies or COVID-19? Here’s How to Tell the Difference

Sneezing, a runny nose, itchy eyes, a cough — are you experiencing the first signs of COVID-19, or just your normal seasonal allergies?

The issue is that symptoms of seasonal allergies and coronavirus infection have quite a bit of overlap. Plus, dramatic warming throughout the country is causing pollen to be released early in the spring, leading to worrisome signs of … well, you may not be sure.

“Because of warmer temperatures, there’s a surge of allergens like pollen, and symptoms can come on very suddenly,” says Lakiea Wright, MD, an allergist and immunologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

With the rise of the highly infectious omicron variant, which can cause runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, and a sore throat as primary symptoms, the ability to distinguish seasonal allergies from COVID-19 is especially tricky.

“It’s important to take a step back and figure out what’s really happening,” says Dr. Wright.

Consider Your Personal History and Your Symptoms

Before you assume you have COVID-19, consider your personal history with seasonal allergies, Wright says. “Think about, you know, do I get these symptoms around the same time every year? Am I improving with allergy medications?” If you feel better after taking antihistamines or using an allergy nasal spray, and closing your windows to keep pollen out of your house, then you likely are dealing with seasonal allergies.

You should also evaluate your symptoms. Do you have a temperature? While fever appears to be less common with omicron than with earlier variants, it remains a telltale symptom of COVID-19, says Wright, whereas it is not typically a sign of seasonal allergies.

Do you have body aches? These can occur with COVID-19 but are definitely not a result of seasonal allergies. “You should not have a fever or body aches from allergies alone,” Wright says.

She adds that while people with COVID-19 may develop a sore throat, those with seasonal allergies are more likely to feel that their throat and nose are itchy.

One way to determine whether you’re dealing with seasonal allergies or COVID-19 is to take a COVID-19 test. Thankfully, home kits are easy to find now.

Keep in mind that seasonal allergy symptoms will cause you to touch your face more often — blowing your nose, rubbing your eyes — and that can put you at higher risk for transferring germs, including coronavirus, into your system.

Because of that, Wright suggests washing your hands often, sneezing into a tissue, sleeve, or face mask instead of your hands, and using a tissue only once before throwing it away.

It Could Be a Cold

Keep in mind that if you’re not feeling well you may have a cold or another respiratory infection. We’re coming off a period of major stress, which impacts the immune system.

“Some people who haven’t had a cold in years might be more vulnerable to them if their immunity is affected by factors like stress,” says Omid Mehdizadeh, MD, an otolaryngologist at Pacific Head and Neck in Los Angeles. “That might be mistaken for COVID or seasonal allergies.”

Colds can happen even if you regularly wear a mask — although mask-wearing and frequent hand-washing do cut down on incidence, Dr. Mehdizadeh adds.

See Your Doctor Safely

If you’re concerned about any symptoms you may be experiencing or if you test positive for COVID-19, the advice from healthcare professionals and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is to call ahead to your primary care provider or healthcare facility and describe your situation over the phone. That way, you can be directed to the right location for any medical care you may need. Or you may be advised to stay home, rest, and drink plenty of fluids for a few days, then call back if you get worse.

This helps prevent virus spread, and allows healthcare workers to prepare for your visit.

But if you are having a life-threatening emergency like extreme shortness of breath, call 911. Let them know your symptoms match up with those of COVID-19.

Can You Still Get Help From an Allergist?

If you have intense seasonal allergies but are reluctant to make an in-person visit to a doctor, telehealth appointments are an option.

“Telehealth is now widely available, and we’re all using it,” says Jeffrey Factor, MD, a healthcare provider at Connecticut Asthma and Allergy Center in West Hartford. “Of course, it’s not as good as an in-person visit, but it still allows you to be ‘seen’ by your healthcare provider, and to get prescriptions when you need them.”

Note that if you require allergy shots, an in-person visit may be necessary.

Track Your Allergy Symptoms for Better Insight

Along with checking in with your doctor, there are other strategies you can use right now to get perspective on your allergy symptoms.

Wright suggests keeping a journal of symptoms, possible triggers, and details like whether windows are open when symptoms start, the time of day when symptoms are worse, the weather, your diet, sleep, and the length of time between when you take an allergy medication and when you feel relief.

For example, maybe you have symptoms if you go for a run in the afternoon, but not if you set out in the early morning or evening. Or maybe your symptoms are terrible when you haven’t slept well or you’re stress-eating salty snacks (no judgment!), but they’re milder when you’ve gotten a solid eight hours and are consuming a more balanced diet.

“I suffer from allergies myself, and this type of logging helps me to feel more in control, especially right now,” Wright says. “When you document things like this, you can start to see patterns that might help you control your allergies, and really, just feel healthier in general.”

Additional reporting by Monroe Hammond.