Hay fever, which affects nearly ten million Brits, shares symptoms with the deadly coronavirus. However, unlike hay fever, COVID-19 is highly contagious and can lead to severe health complications such as disability, blood clots and respiratory issues.
Dr Rupa Parmar, GP and medical director of Midland Health, has shared the Covid symptoms that should not be confused with hay fever during this allergy season.
Covid symptoms you could mistake for hay fever
Fatigue
Both hay fever and Covid list fatigue as a common symptom. Hay fever-induced fatigue can leave you feeling excessively tired and cause brain fog.
While it’s usually not severe, it can be challenging to manage. On the other hand, the fatigue caused by Covid is more extreme, characterised by symptoms like tiredness, irritability, and slow reflexes.
It also lasts longer than fatigue caused by allergies, sometimes persisting for several weeks after contracting the illness.
Congestion
Although congestion is one of the most common complaints of hay fever sufferers, it’s also a symptom of Covid. The accompanying symptoms with a runny or stuffy nose are crucial in distinguishing between the two.
Congestion with itchy eyes and sneezing are indicative of hay fever, whereas with Covid, the congested feeling usually comes with a loss of smell or taste.
Coughing
Allergies typically cause coughing due to excess mucus at the back of your throat. A cough triggered by hay fever usually occurs intermittently and is a reaction to postnasal drip.
However, a persistent dry and chesty cough is more likely to be a symptom of Covid.
Fever
Despite its name, hay fever does not actually cause a fever. On the other hand, common signs of Covid include having chills or a high temperature.
If you’re feeling unwell and your temperature is higher than usual, it could be a sign that you have Covid.
Aches and pains
Hay fever shouldn’t make your body ache, although you may experience a headache caused by a stuffy nose. In contrast, headaches or body aches that feel sore to the touch are common at the start of a Covid infection.
Sore throat
If your sore throat is a symptom of hay fever, it will feel itchy and dry. A sore throat from Covid generally feels more like a lump and can also lead to neck pain and swollen lymph nodes.
The symptoms accompanying the throat pain will help you determine if you have Covid or just allergies.
Worsening symptoms
With allergies, it’s unlikely that your symptoms will worsen, and common hay fever symptoms such as sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy eyes shouldn’t be too severe. If your usual allergy symptoms feel much worse than normal, it would be wise to test for Covid.
Dr Parmar warned: “It’s still important to be aware of the symptoms of Covid. Although we are no longer in a pandemic, catching the virus is still possible, and we should do our best to avoid spreading it. You can do this by knowing the symptoms, testing, and avoiding contact with others if you have Covid.
“If you have allergies, it’s essential to understand what’s normal for you. This means you can better identify unusual symptoms that may indicate something more serious.”
