With the second wave of the coronavirus spreading like wildfire and the number of positive cases and death increasing in a staggering manner, most people literally go into a panic mode even if they experience slight sneezing, cough or any kind of allergy. Additionally, since the Covid-19 is hitting back with renewed fury during the summer season, people are highly concerned due to the infamous rise in allergies and pollen fever, since the symptoms very much mimic that of Covid-19. But even though you might have a dry cough or a bit of dehydration, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have the contagious infection.
Also Read: Coronavirus And Flu: This Is How COVID-19 And Influenza Differ At Many Levels
We bring you a simple guide to differentiate Summer Allergies from Covid-19:
What Are Summer Allergies?
Well, most people associate allergies with the pollen released during the spring season, but if you are still experiencing sneezing, coughing and slight congestion, worry not as you might be suffering from Summer Allergies. Summer comes with a list of woes of its own and hay fever in the form of allergies top it all.
Hay Fever, gets its name from hay-cutting season, which is traditionally done in the summer months. But the real culprits of summertime seasonal allergies are grasses, such as ryegrass and timothy grass, as well as certain weeds that release pollen dust causing allergic reactions in many people.
What Causes Summer Allergies?
Right from air pollution, grass and weed pollen to microscopic pests multiplying in your home, summer allergies can occur due to multiple reasons. As the extreme temperatures during the summer heat up certain grasses and weeds, pollens from them are released into the sky. Additionally, the combination of strong sunlight and pollution from car exhaust fumes triggers allergy-inducing smog in the summer months. Moreover, the tiny dust mite, a microscopic relative of spiders and ticks, is a dangerous allergen-producer that resides in bedding, fabric, and carpeting chiefly thrives in the warm, humid conditions that summer brings. Even other insects like bees, wasps, hornets, fire ants, etc. are more active during the summer months and a bite from either can cause allergic reactions.
What Are The Symptoms Of Summer Allergy That Are Similar To Covid-19?
With the newer variants and mutations coming up with a whole new range of symptoms along with the characteristic older ones people are going haywire noticing a slight cough or runny eyes. While some symptoms of the coronavirus overlap with allergies, leading to inevitable comparisons, yet they are nothing to panic about.
We bring you 5 common symptoms that people often mistake as the contagious SARA-CoV2 virus:
Dry Cough
One of the most common symptoms of coronavirus is dry cough. It chiefly occurs as a reflex action to clear the airway of irritants and mucus. Apart from an initiating symptom of Covid, dry cough can occur due to number of reasons like allergies, common cold, flu or even asthma.
Sneezing
Another characteristic symptom that happens due to summer allergy or hay fever is sneezing, an involuntary expulsion of air via the nasal passage due to irritation of the mucous membranes inside it on account of dirt and bacteria. Although the newer variant of coronavirus does not show this symptom, yet people often get scared seeing someone sneezing constantly during the pandemic.
Watery Eyes
Watery eyes can not only happen if you develop high fever but also if something like dirt, dust, smoke or chemicals enter the eye triggering the eyes to make tears to wash it out. Since pink eye or conjunctivitis, which also causes the eyes to get watery, is reported as one of the recent symptoms of Covid, people often disregard the fact that it can also happen due to pollen, mold or pet dander.
Dehydration
Dehydration is one common problem of the summer season when the body loses more water than it can take, inhibiting normal bodily functions. Since fever often leads to dehydration, people often mistake this normal summer problem as a primary symptom of Covid.
Also Read: Dehydration: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Rashes
Most allergens cause inflammation, irritation, reddening of the skin leading to rashes in some parts of the body. With the newer mutation of the contagious virus reporting skin rashes as well, summer allergies are often misinterpreted.
That being said, even though the above-mentioned signs might not be a cause of worry right away, yet if you suddenly develop fever or breathing difficulty along with the earlier given signs, do consult a doctor and get tested for Covid.
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