She says some symptoms are shared, others are not
Frederick, MD (KB) With spring upon us, many are questioning whether their symptoms are related to COVID-19 or seasonal allergies.
Frederick County Health Officer Dr. Barbara Brookmyer said certain symptoms are not typical of allergies. “If you have a fever, allergies should not cause a fever,” she explained. “Likewise if you have the chills, allergies should not cause chills.”
She said some allergy and COVID-19 symptoms are shared and others are clearly one or the other, for example, nausea. “When people say I feel a little nauseous, I have a little diarrhea, that is not related to allergies and that is something that we have seen throughout as sometimes the only symptom of COVID that people have,” stated Dr. Brookmyer.
Dr. Brookmyer said nausea and diarrhea are actually common symptoms of some COVID-19 variants.
Symptoms that are shared, according to Dr. Brookmyer, are coughs, headaches, tiredness, and sometimes shortness of breath. Common allergy-only symptoms are sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and itchy or watery eyes.