Coronavirus and hay fever symptoms: how to tell the difference

With the arrival of spring comes sunshine, but also hay fever. Whilst good weather is something to be enjoyed (within the lockdown guidelines for now), many of us will start to experience hay fever as we head into springtime.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to be vigilant and aware of the coronavirus symptoms. We’re re-iterating the symptoms of COVID-19 and the symptoms of hay fever, to help make sure there is zero room for confusion.

What are symptoms of hay fever?

The symptoms of hay fever are usually worse between later March and September , especially if it’s humid, warm and windy.

Symptoms of hay fever include:

• Sneezing and coughing
• A blocked or runny nose
• Itchy, watery or red eyes
• Itchy throat, nose, mouth and ears
• Loss of smell
• Pain around your forehead and temples.
• Headache
• Earache
• Feeling tired

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

According to the NHS , the two main symptoms of COVID-19 are a high temperature and a new, continuous cough.

COVID-19 Symptoms:
 

a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your back or chest (you do not need to measure your temperature)
 

a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

How do hay fever symptoms differ to coronavirus’?
 

Typical symptoms of hay fever are usually characterised by itching in the throat, constant sneezing and watery eyes, these symptoms appear to be absent in COVID-19 for the most part. A high temperature is not a symptom of hay fever but it is a symptom of COVID-19 infection.

Sneezing is not a symptom of COVID-19 and it’s also rare to have a runny or stuffy nose if you’re infected. Hay fever doesn’t cause a high temperature and usually most people don’t feel unwell when experiencing it.

Eye redness (a symptom that is common in hay fever) may potentially be a symptom of COVID-19 according to studies from The New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association and other sources. However, more research needs to be done to determine to what extent, conjunctivitis (eye redness) is a symptom of COVID-19. So far, the symptom has been reported in very few COVID-19 cases.

According to Allergy UK , in some people, hay fever can cause allergy-induced asthma, causing a tight chest and difficulty breathing. However, “most people with hay fever do not feel unwell.”

* May trigger asthma symptoms

Adapted from: World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Allergy UK

 

Are hay fever sufferers more susceptible to coronavirus infection?

No, there is currently no evidence to suggest that hay fever could increase the chances of contracting coronavirus.

Let's not forget that allergies to pollen can arise at any age, so you may have hay fever at some point, even if you’ve never experienced it before.
 

What should I do if I’m experiencing symptoms of coronavirus?

To protect others, the advice from the NHS is to “not got to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.” Instead, the NHS recommend using their 111 online coronavirus service to find out what you should do next and that you should “only call 111 if you cannot get help online.”

In the case of a baby or child, “If they seem very unwell, are getting worse or you think there's something seriously wrong, call 999.”
 

You may like to book a face-to-face appointment or an e-Consultation with a specialist in respiratory medicine , to clarify any questions you may have about any of the respiratory conditions mentioned in this article. You can find out more information about our e-Consultation service here .