Am I Sick With Allergies or COVID-19?

Allergy season has kicked off earlier this year than usual. This means that all of the time families are spending outdoors while social distancing could be leading to symptoms that look similar to COVID-19, but, in reality, aren’t the same.

Allergies and COVID-19 are two completely different animals, but how? Our AFC Urgent Care Louisville team has some answers, so read on.

What Are the Main Differences Between Allergies and COVID-19?

According to experts, an illness like COVID-19 causes a system-wide response, while an allergy, which is an overreaction of the immune system in response to exposure to a trigger, is usually more localized.

What this means is that someone that has fallen ill from the flu or COVID-19 may have a fever, body aches, chills, a sore throat, weakness and respiratory symptoms. Someone with allergies, however, will be more likely to have the symptoms centered on the nose, eyes and throat, and they usually won’t have a fever. We’ve listed some more key differences below.

Key Differences Between Allergies and COVID-19

  • Allergies cause itchiness, such as itchy eyes, itchy nose, sneezing and a tickle in the throat. Itchiness is usually not a symptom of illness.
  • COVID-19 doesn’t usually emit many nasal symptoms. That means that if you are sneezing a lot, it’s more likely allergies causing the problem than a viral infection.
  • Allergy symptoms can last for a whole season, while COVID-19 symptoms usually last for a much shorter time period.

How Can I Know If I Have COVID-19?

The best way to tell if you have COVID-19 or not is by taking a COVID-19 test. If you do get tested, you should self-quarantine at home pending test results.

Experts also say that there are a few tell-tale signs of COVID-19, such as a new loss of taste or smell and shortness of breath. We’ve listed some more common COVID-19 symptoms below.

More COVID-19 Symptoms

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

It can be difficult to understand what your body is trying to tell you these days, but it’s important to learn how! If you need any general medical care or questions answered, our AFC Urgent Care Louisville team is here for you.