Differences Between COVID-19 and Allergies

COVID-19 and seasonal allergies share several symptoms, and this can make them difficult to tell apart and cause confusion. Want to know how they differ and what they have in common? We explain it all in the following post. Keep reading!

Withthe arrival of springwe see anincrease in cases of people suffering from some type of allergy. Everything would continue as normal were it not for the fact that we are still in a pandemic, sinceCOVID-19 and seasonal allergies share several symptomsand this can lead to significant confusion.

However, just as these conditions share similarities, they also have their differences, which will be crucial in identifying them. Even so, if you have any symptoms, we recommendconsulting your doctor whenever there is any doubt.

What is COVID-19?

Although we have all heard about it by now and, unfortunately, it is part of our daily lives, COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus, is ahighly contagious respiratory illnesscaused by theSARS-CoV-2 virus.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19are the following:

• Tiredness.
• Fever.
• Shortness of breath.
• Cough.

However, this variant of Coronavirus also presents someless common symptoms, many of which are what make the difference between this condition and others, such as allergies:

• Loss of taste or smell.
• Nasal congestion.
• Sore throat, headache, earache, chest pain or muscle pain.
• Vomiting, fatigue and nausea.
• Diarrhoea.
• The appearance ofskin rashes.

AtFarmaciasdirectwe remind and recommend that when a condition like this appears, you should contact Salud Responde (955 54 50 60) or get in touch with your health centre, because together we can stop the virus.

What are seasonal allergies?

Unlike COVID-19,allergies are not caused by a virus. Their symptoms appear when ourimmune system responds to allergensfloating in the air that reach our nose. In addition, another major difference is thatseasonal allergies are not contagious, unlike COVID-19. Themost common symptomsof allergies are:

• Sneezing and mucus.
• Cough, soreness and an itchy throat.
• Tiredness, fatigue and sleep disturbances.
• Watery eyes(itching and redness).
• Nasal congestion.

Likewise, the most serious allergy cases can causebronchial asthma, and its symptoms are as follows:

• Breathing difficulties.
• Dry cough.

• Wheezing in the chest.

Symptom checklist for COVID-19 and allergies

Below, we provide a table showing which symptoms are more or less associated with COVID-19 and allergies.

Symptom | COVID-19 | Allergies

Cough | Usually | Sometimes

Fever | Usually | Never

Muscle aches | Usually | Never

Tiredness | Usually | Sometimes

Itching in the nose, mouth, ears and eyes | Never | Usually

Sneezing | Rarely | Usually

Sore throat | Usually | Rarely

Blocked or runny nose | Usually | Usually

Conjunctivitis | Sometimes | Sometimes

Nausea, fatigue and vomiting | Sometimes | Never

Diarrhoea | Sometimes | Never

Loss of taste and/or smell | Usually | Sometimes

How can you prevent COVID-19 and allergies?

There are a series of measures that have been put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as:

• Keeping a safe distanceor interpersonal distance (minimum 1.5m).
• Theuse of face masksto prevent infection and the spread of the virus.
• Properhandwashingfrequently.
• Cleaning and disinfecting.
• Reducing the number of people we have close contact with, because the sooner we defeat the virus, the sooner we can return to normal.
• Getting vaccinatedagainst COVID-19.
• Using vitamin supplements to strengthen our immune system.

Likewise, there are measures and habits we can adopt toavoid the onset of more severe symptoms caused by allergies. If you would like to learn about these measures, you can read our post “Tips to Prevent and Combat Allergies” by clickinghere.

On theFarmaciasdirectwebsite, you can buy a wide range ofproducts both to help tackle COVID-19 and the allergies that come with the arrival of spring. If you have any questions, you can contact ourpharmaceutical advice teamfree of charge. Do not hesitate to get in touch with us.