How to Tell If You Have Allergies or COVID, According to 2 MDs

It isn't your imagination: allergy season is absolutely brutal this year. Not only is allergy season lasting longer these days due in part to climate change, but this year in particular pollen concentrations have been stronger, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. As a result, more people are being affected by worse-than-usual symptoms. We're talking about intense congestion, runny noses, postnasal drip, sneezing, and fatigue, among other things.

But, in the post-pandemic world, feeling under the weather almost always brings with it the question of whether you have COVID. Like colds and the flu, seasonal-allergy symptoms can be very similar to COVID-19 symptoms. And while you may feel comfortable going out and about when you're dealing with season allergies, which aren't contagious, if you have COVID you'd likely try to stay home to avoid passing on your germs. So how do you tell the two apart? Ahead, allergy experts explains how to tell if your symptoms are typical of allergies or if you're dealing with a potential case of COVID-19.

Purvi Parikh, MD, an allergist with the Allergy and Asthma Network.

Katie Marks-Cogan, MD, a board-certified pediatric and adult allergist, and cofounder and chief allergist for Ready, Set, Food!, an early food-allergen introduction program for babies.

Some common symptoms of COVID-19 infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), include fever, dry cough, and difficulty breathing. The fever is typically over 100.5°F, says Purvi Parikh, MD, an allergist with the Allergy and Asthma Network.

Other symptoms of COVID-19 include fatigue, body aches, pressure in the chest, headache, sore throat, congestion, or runny nose. Digestive issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite can also occur. Loss of taste or smell has also been associated with COVID-19. These symptoms usually occur two to 14 days after exposure to the virus and last for 10 to 14 days in mild cases. However, symptoms can last much longer for older adults, those with chronic diseases or other health problems, or those suffering from long COVID.

In more severe cases, the virus can also move into the lungs, causing pneumonia, says board-certified pediatric and adult allergist Katie Marks-Cogan, MD, cofounder and chief allergist for Ready, Set, Food!, an early food-allergen introduction program for babies. This means the lungs fill with pockets of pus or fluid, causing symptoms like severe shortness of breath and painful coughs that can last two to three weeks.

Sneezing and itchy or watery eyes are very common symptoms for people with seasonal allergies, Dr. Marks-Cogan says, adding that "they are rare symptoms in adults with COVID-19." She also notes that allergic asthma often flares up in spring due to higher pollen counts, which can cause wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.

People can experience seasonal-allergy symptoms for weeks or months depending on which allergens trigger their symptoms, Dr. Marks-Cogan says. Seasonal-allergy symptoms can also worsen on days with higher pollen counts or right after thunderstorms.

Fatigue can result from both seasonal allergies and COVID-19, as can headaches, sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, loss of smell, and cough. However, a dry cough is more associated with COVID-19, whereas a cough associated with allergies can be dry, but it's typically wet and sneeze-like, according to the Association for Professional in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Both allergies and COVID can occasionally cause conjunctivitis, aka pink eye, according to Mayo Clinic. This can appear as red or pink eyes with swelling, itching, or irritation; extra tear production; or discharge, according to the CDC. Meanwhile, fever, diarrhea, muscle aches, and abdominal pain are not symptoms of allergies, Dr. Parikh says.

If you have similar symptoms at the same time every year and your symptoms are mostly sneezing, runny nose, and itchy or watery eyes, you're much more likely to be suffering from allergies than COVID-19, Dr. Marks-Cogan says. If these symptoms improve with an oral antihistamine (such as Zyrtec, Allegra, or Claritin) or asthma medication, they're more likely due to seasonal allergies. If you've never had seasonal allergies before or yours tend to be mild and this time you're experiencing an influx of allergy-like symptoms, you may want to get tested for COVID-19. But remember: it's an unusually intense allergy season, so it's possible you're just experiencing worse-than-usual symptoms as a result.

Another symptom tip from the pros? "Some people with severe nasal allergies can sometimes experience a decreased sense of smell. However, this usually occurs after long-standing nasal congestion is present or is due to nasal polyps, which can be seen in people with seasonal allergies," Dr. Marks-Cogan says. Someone who suddenly develops a loss of smell that isn't associated with chronic nasal congestion should consider testing for COVID-19 or at least chatting with their physician.

If shortness of breath is your primary symptom, know that many people with allergies also deal with asthma, which can cause shortness of breath or cough during an asthma flare-up, Dr. Marks-Cogan says. You may need to contact your allergist or primary-care physician to help determine if you need to increase your asthma medications or if you should test yourself for COVID instead. If you have a fever, muscle aches, vomiting, and/or diarrhea, you should also test for COVID-19. According to Mayo Clinic, allergies are never associated with these symptoms.

Your symptoms could also be something else altogether, like the common cold, flu, or even (in the case of gastrointestinal issues) the norovirus. That said, if you're concerned about the severity of your symptoms or if they're new symptoms, Dr. Marks-Cogan recommends testing yourself for COVID-19 just to be safe.

Jenny Sugar is a former POPSUGAR staff writer. She reports on all things fitness, but especially loves CrossFit and yoga.

Mirel Zaman is the wellness director at PS. She has nearly 15 years of experience working in the health and wellness space, writing and editing articles about fitness, general health, mental health, relationships and sex, food and nutrition, astrology, spirituality, family and parenting, culture, and news.