HOUSTON, TX— Local doctors are warning families that spring allergy symptoms can be very similar to COVID-19 symptoms – and you can have both illnesses at the same time.
What’s the difference between COVID-19 and Seasonal Allergies:
- Have a high fever? GET A TEST.
- Did you lose your sense of taste suddenly? GET A TEST.
- Are your eyes itchy or watery? You probably have allergies.
- Sneezing your head off? You probably have allergies.
Here’s a breakdown of COVID and Seasonal Allergy symptoms.
High Fever:
COVID-19 — YES
Seasonal Allergies — RARELY
Headache:
COVID-19 — YES
Seasonal Allergies — YES
Itchy or Watery Eyes:
COVID-19 — NEVER
Seasonal Allergies — YES
Fatigue, Weakness:
COVID-19 — YES
Seasonal Allergies — YES
Runny Nose, Sore Throat:
COVID-19 — YES
Seasonal Allergies — YES
Sneezing:
COVID-19 — RARELY
Seasonal Allergies — YES
Sudden loss of taste:
COVID-19 — YES
Seasonal Allergies — NEVER
Top 5 Ways to Make Your Allergies Worse:
- Drinking Alcohol: An extra glass of wine at dinner could irritate existing allergies. Researchers suspect the bacteria and yeast in the alcohol produce histamines and cause a stuffy nose or itchy eyes.
- Making your bed: Dust mites love to put down roots in bedding and mattresses. AFC medical providers say at night, while you sleep, moisture from body sweat helps keep the little critters alive. When you make your bed in the morning, you are tucking in those pesky bugs, so they cannot escape. Airing out your sheets can make it harder for allergens and bedbugs to stay alive.
- Wearing contact lenses: In some cases, AFC providers say lenses can trap pollen against the surface of the eye.
- Eating certain fruits and vegetables: Researchers with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America found proteins in certain foods can cause ragweed sufferers to end up with an itchy mouth. Experts say bananas, melons and tomatoes can cause a cross-reaction.
- Using the dishwasher: A Swedish study published in the journal Pediatrics found children do not develop as many allergies if they eat of a hand washed dishes rather than plates or bowls cleaned in a dishwasher. Researchers found automated dishwashers kill so much bacteria children cannot build up an immunity.
