Allergies vs. COVID-19 symptoms: As allergy season begins, how to tell the difference

Alexis Shanes
NorthJersey.com

Trees and lawns are turning green, flowers are blooming and temperatures are inching warmer. With coronavirus restrictions in place, interactions with nature might be limited to a quick walk through the neighborhood, but it’s not hard to notice spring has sprung — bringing allergy season with it.

Allergy symptoms are likely to increase during the next two to three weeks as pollen counts grow into the thousands, said Leonard Bielory, professor of medicine, allergy, immunology and ophthalmology at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.

“If it wasn’t for the cold snap, we’d be having an incredible amount of pollen right now,” Bielory said Monday. “Once it warms up, with the rain we’ve gotten, it’s going to be quite an intense opening season for trees. It’s going to explode.”

Allergy symptoms are likely to increase during the next two to three weeks as pollen counts grow.

That raises a new dilemma. Some allergy symptoms, such as coughing, mimic signs of COVID-19. So how can sufferers tell the difference?

The combination and severity of symptoms is telling.

Patients with asthma or allergies who cough and experience breathlessness can resolve their symptoms with inhalers or prescription medication, Bielory said.

But if a patient has COVID-19, those solutions won’t work — and the symptoms are likely to be far more extreme. Coronavirus patients can have severe difficulty breathing. That's why many admitted to hospitals need the assistance of ventilators, which move air in and out of the lungs mechanically.

People who develop viruses, including COVID-19, may experience an associated fever within 24 to 72 hours of infection, Bielory said.

“Fever is a major differential,” he said. “You don’t normally get fever with allergies.”

COVID-19 patients may also develop gastrointestinal symptoms and muscle aches and pains, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Up to two-thirds of them may lose their sense of smell, Bielory said. None of those symptoms are associated with allergies.

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On the other hand, sneezing and a stuffy or runny nose are allergy symptoms not seen in COVID-19 patients. Allergies may also lead to red or pink eyes and produce clear or white eye discharge.

The relationship between COVID-19 and asthma isn’t yet known, although a March report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested people with chronic lung diseases might be at higher risk for coronavirus-related hospitalization. Researchers haven’t determined whether people with asthma are more likely to contract the virus or experience more severe symptoms.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology recommends people with asthma continue taking controller medications to avoid hospitalization despite some reports that steroids should not be used in COVID-19 patients.

Antihistamines do not suppress the immune system, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, so allergy treatments won’t make patients more susceptible to COVID-19.

If a patient is still unsure whether their symptoms are allergy- or coronavirus-related, Bielory suggests trying allergy medications and speaking to a doctor before assuming coronavirus is the culprit.

Alexis Shanes is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: shanesa@northjersey.com Twitter: @alexisjshanes