The novel coronavirus is still spreading across the United States, and now the fall allergy season is here to make the possibility of illness even more likely.
But Dr. Dylan Timberlake, an allergist at Prevea Health in Wisconsin, said there is an easy way to tell the difference between allergies and COVID-19.
- “What can really point you from a true symptom standpoint is allergies should never have a fever that goes along with it,” Timberlake told WEAU-TV, a news station.
Timberlake said allergies often impact the eyes and nose area. If it’s anything else, then your sickness might be COVID-19 or another illness.
- “Allergies should really not have any other symptoms, so you shouldn’t get nausea or vomiting that could go with it,” Timberlake told WEAU-TV.
He also said there’s a chance you have COVID-19 or infection if medicine doesn’t stop your symptoms.
Questions about the difference between allergies, the common cold and COVID-19 have been around since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic started in the U.S.
In August 2020, the National Jewish Health released a breakdown of different symptoms to help people see the difference between allergies, the common cold, influenza or COVID-19. Allergy symptoms often begin gradually and last during allergy season. But COVID-19 symptoms often center around coughs, fevers, chills and fatigue more than anything.