Is It Allergies or is it COVID?
Written by Leslie K. Hughes
Medically reviewed by Dr. Monique White-Dominguez
Allergy season is upon us, and that means sneezing, coughing, and runny noses for many.
However, with COVID sharing similar symptoms, you may find yourself wondering if it’s just allergies you have or if it’s COVID.
To learn whether your symptoms are signs of allergies or signs of COVID, read on.
What are typical allergy symptoms?
Allergies have been around much longer than COVID, and thus we have a lot more information about them.
Below are some of the symptoms you will likely experience with allergies:
Itchy nose, eyes, mouth, or inner ear
Sneezing
Runny or stuffy nose
Rash
Cough
Fatigue
Pink eye
Loss of taste or smell (due to runny or stuffy nose)
What are typical COVID-19 symptoms?
Different strains of COVID may cause different symptoms to show up, but there are a few that are pretty standard symptoms across the board, regardless of what variant you may become infected with.
Those common COVID-19 symptoms include:
Dry cough
Fever (greater than 101F)
Chills
Bloody mucus
Achy muscles
Fatigue
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Loss of taste or smell (without a runny or stuffy nose)
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Pink eye
Shortness of breath
Difficulty breathing
As you can see, many of the symptoms of both allergies and COVID-19 are similar. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to a few key symptoms that are the primary signals of COVID versus allergies.
You may have COVID-19 if . . .
You have a fever above 101F.
With allergies, you rarely have a fever accompany them. You may experience your body temperature increase a bit due to hay fever but rarely do allergies cause temperatures to rise above 101F. If you are experiencing a high fever, you likely have COVID and you should get a COVID-19 test to verify.
You have trouble breathing.
While allergies may lead to trouble breathing if you suffer from asthma, for those who don’t have asthma, allergies are typically not associated with difficulty breathing.
However, one of the symptoms of COVID is difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, which is due to the fact that COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that affects the lungs during the infection and potentially after as well.
Trouble breathing that is accompanied by any of the following issues means it’s time to see a doctor.
Pain in the chest
Pressure in the chest
Confusion
Inability to wake up
Inability to stay awake
Pale or blue-colored skin, lips, or nails
You have lost your sense of taste and/or smell.
While allergies may cause a loss of taste or smell, that occurs due to the intense congestion that sometimes goes along with allergies.
When it comes to COVID, however, the loss of taste and/or smell that you may experience is not coupled with congestion and occurs on its own. Thus, if you can’t taste and/or smell and have no noticeable congestion, chances are good you may have the coronavirus, and thus need to get a COVID test.
You have a sore throat.
Some people experience a bit of a sore throat with allergies, but it is more of a tickle than an actual soreness and typically isn’t severe. Allergies rarely (if ever) cause inflammation, pain, and issues with swallowing in the way that COVID-19 does.
Many people who are infected with COVID-19 experience severe sore throats that are markedly more extreme than the scratchiness that may happen with allergies.
How to treat allergies
If you’ve determined that you have allergies, not COVID-19, and are looking for the best way to treat the issue, you should talk to a doctor. He or she will likely suggest one of the following treatments:
Antihistamines (either over-the-counter or prescription)
Nasal steroid spray
Decongestant
It is important to also stay away from the allergens that caused the problems in the first place if possible. You may also want to get a humidifier to create some moisture in the air and be sure to wash your sheets and blankets often.
With the above treatments, you can expect your seasonal allergies to go away within a few weeks.
How to treat COVID
As of now, there is no cure for COVID. If you are infected, you typically have to wait it out until your condition improves.
However, there are some treatments available that may be able to keep a COVID infection from getting worse. The most recent addition is the COVID treatment pill, Paxlovid. This prescription pill is administered in two 150mg tablets of an antiviral medication called nirmatrelvir taken along with a 100mg tablet of another antiviral drug that has been used for treating HIV.
This and other treatment options for COVID-19 are meant for people who are at high risk of having serious issues with a COVID infection and are intended to keep the infected person from requiring hospitalization.
The best way to stay safe from a coronavirus infection is to get tested for COVID-19 regularly, stay up-to-date with your vaccine and booster shots, and wear a mask.
