Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsComparisonsTestingCOVID-19 TreatmentAllergy TreatmentWhen to Seek Emergency CareFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Comparisons
Testing
COVID-19 Treatment
Allergy Treatment
When to Seek Emergency Care
Frequently Asked Questions
Without testing, determining whether you have a sore throat from allergies orCOVID-19can be challenging. The two have several overlapping symptoms, such as headache and runny nose. But there are some differences, too.
Learn more from this overview about the differences between allergies and COVID-19 symptoms and when to seek testing or medical care.
Verywell / Dennis Madamba
Symptoms of Allergies vs. COVID-19
Allergies and COVID-19 do have some overlapping symptoms. These can include:
The presence of other symptoms may be what helps you sort one from the other. In particular, symptoms like fever, body aches, loss of taste andsmell, and gastrointestinal symptoms are usually only seen with COVID-19, and not with allergies. Likewise, itchy eyes and nose are allergy symptoms, but not COVID-19 symptoms.
That said, you don’t have to have every possible symptom to suspect COVID-19 or allergies. Both can present with just a single symptom (like a runny nose).
Is a Burning Nose Sensation a Symptom of COVID-19?
Paying attention to subtle differences in overlapping symptoms may also help you distinguish allergies from COVID-19. For example, with allergies, nasal discharge tends to be clear and fatigue is mild. On the other hand, viral infections like COVID-19 tend to produce thicker nasal secretions. Also, fatigue may be intense.
In addition, allergy coughs often result from irritation and discharge. As such, they are “wet” and productive. With COVID-19, the cough is dry.
Allergy symptoms can appear soon after contact with the offendingallergen, such as mold or pollen.
Symptoms of COVID-19 typically appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. While most of the differentCOVID-19 variantsshow similar symptoms, they can vary in terms of their severity and spread.
Those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are least likely to experience severe symptoms, while those who are unvaccinated aremost at riskof severe illness and death. In addition, some people experience “long COVID,” or chronic symptoms that last for weeks or months.
How Long Do Omicron BA.2 Symptoms Last?
COVID-19 Variants
The typical symptoms of COVID-19 are changing somewhat over time as different variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19) emerge. For example, loss of taste and smell was more common with earlier COVID-19 variants, but fewer people with the Omicron variant report this symptom.
People with the Omicron variant are also more likely to report a sore throat and less likely to report sneezing than people who had the Delta variant.Omicron may also cause milder symptoms than other variants, especially in people who have been vaccinated.
Testing for COVID-19
The CDC suggests testing to help inform what to do next if you develop symptoms. According to the CDC, you should take a test if you are at greater risk of severe illness, or you will be around others who are.
Rapid testsare available over the counter. These tests look for the virus’s proteins in your nose and provide results in 15 to 30 minutes.
Polymer chain reaction (PCR) testslook for the virus’s genetic material in your nose. You can get one done at a pharmacy or health clinic. These results usually take 24 hours or more.
Keep in mind that COVID-19 tests can produce false negatives, meaning your results say you don’t have the virus when you really do. This is especially true if you test too early. With this in mind, if your symptoms persist or people in your household also begin exhibiting symptoms, it’s a good idea to test again.
Treating COVID-19
If you test positive for COVID-19, it is essential to isolate at home until you are well to avoid spreading the illness. Get adequate rest, fluids, and watch your symptoms closely during that time. You can also ask a healthcare provider if you should be prescribed an antiviral medication for COVID-19, likePaxlovid.
The CDC recommends the following:
In addition, if someone in your household has COVID-19, follow theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s guide for disinfecting.
COVID-19 Treatments: What You Need to Know
Managing Allergies
While you can’t always preventallergy symptoms, there are some things you can do to manage them and limit your exposure to allergens:
The most effective way to manage allergies is to learn what you are allergic to and reduce or avoid exposure to it.
Certain symptoms of COVID-19 and allergies are warning signs and require immediate medical attention.
Sometimes allergies result in a severe, life-threatening reaction, calledanaphylaxis. If you notice any of the following symptoms, seek emergency medical care, immediately:
If you or someone else has COVID-19 and is showing any of these signs, seekemergency medical careimmediately:
This list is not exhaustive. If you are concerned, seek medical care right away.
Summary
Allergies and COVID-19 share some overlapping symptoms. However, even among shared symptoms, there are some distinctions. For example, both may present with a cough and fatigue. However, an allergy cough is wet, while a COVID-19 cough is dry; and fatigue with allergies tends to be milder than fatigue associated with COVID-19.
In addition, some symptoms of each are not present in the other. For instance, common allergy symptoms not associated with COVID-19 include itching and watery eyes. Conversely, common COVID-19 symptoms not seen with allergies include fever, body aches, and loss of taste or smell.
A Word From Verywell
For many people, allergy symptoms respond well toantihistamines. However, allergy medicine is not recommended for COVID-19, as viral symptoms do not generally respond to allergy medication.Learn MoreAllergy Medicine and Colds
For many people, allergy symptoms respond well toantihistamines. However, allergy medicine is not recommended for COVID-19, as viral symptoms do not generally respond to allergy medication.
Learn MoreAllergy Medicine and Colds
Unless you are allergic to an ingredient in the vaccine, the CDC recommends getting the COVID-19 vaccine even if you have other allergies, such as seasonal allergies.
The information in this article is current as of the date listed. As new research becomes available, we’ll update this article. For the latest on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hay fever/rhinitis.Lechien JR, Chiesa-Estomba CM, Beckers E, et al.Prevalence and 6-month recovery of olfactory dysfunction: a multicentre study of 1363 COVID-19 patients.Journal of Internal Medicine. 2021;290(2):451-461. doi: 10.1111/joim.13209Nemours.Seasonal allergies (hay fever).Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.Variants of the Virus.Boscolo-Rizzo P, Tirelli G, Meloni P, et al.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related smell and taste impairment with widespread diffusion of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant.Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2022 Mar 14:10.1002/alr.22995. doi:10.1002/alr.22995Menni C, Valdes AM, Polidori L, et al.Symptom prevalence, duration, and risk of hospital admission in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during periods of omicron and delta variant dominance: a prospective observational study from the ZOE COVID Study.Lancet. 2022;399(10335):1618-24. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00327-0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Testing and Respiratory Viruses.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You’re Sick.Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Pollen allergy.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Coronavirus and the nervous system.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergic Reactions after COVID-19 Vaccination.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hay fever/rhinitis.Lechien JR, Chiesa-Estomba CM, Beckers E, et al.Prevalence and 6-month recovery of olfactory dysfunction: a multicentre study of 1363 COVID-19 patients.Journal of Internal Medicine. 2021;290(2):451-461. doi: 10.1111/joim.13209Nemours.Seasonal allergies (hay fever).Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.Variants of the Virus.Boscolo-Rizzo P, Tirelli G, Meloni P, et al.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related smell and taste impairment with widespread diffusion of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant.Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2022 Mar 14:10.1002/alr.22995. doi:10.1002/alr.22995Menni C, Valdes AM, Polidori L, et al.Symptom prevalence, duration, and risk of hospital admission in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during periods of omicron and delta variant dominance: a prospective observational study from the ZOE COVID Study.Lancet. 2022;399(10335):1618-24. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00327-0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Testing and Respiratory Viruses.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You’re Sick.Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Pollen allergy.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Coronavirus and the nervous system.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergic Reactions after COVID-19 Vaccination.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
World Health Organization.Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hay fever/rhinitis.Lechien JR, Chiesa-Estomba CM, Beckers E, et al.Prevalence and 6-month recovery of olfactory dysfunction: a multicentre study of 1363 COVID-19 patients.Journal of Internal Medicine. 2021;290(2):451-461. doi: 10.1111/joim.13209Nemours.Seasonal allergies (hay fever).Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.Variants of the Virus.Boscolo-Rizzo P, Tirelli G, Meloni P, et al.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related smell and taste impairment with widespread diffusion of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant.Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2022 Mar 14:10.1002/alr.22995. doi:10.1002/alr.22995Menni C, Valdes AM, Polidori L, et al.Symptom prevalence, duration, and risk of hospital admission in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during periods of omicron and delta variant dominance: a prospective observational study from the ZOE COVID Study.Lancet. 2022;399(10335):1618-24. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00327-0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Testing and Respiratory Viruses.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You’re Sick.Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Pollen allergy.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Coronavirus and the nervous system.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergic Reactions after COVID-19 Vaccination.
World Health Organization.Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hay fever/rhinitis.
Lechien JR, Chiesa-Estomba CM, Beckers E, et al.Prevalence and 6-month recovery of olfactory dysfunction: a multicentre study of 1363 COVID-19 patients.Journal of Internal Medicine. 2021;290(2):451-461. doi: 10.1111/joim.13209
Nemours.Seasonal allergies (hay fever).
Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.Variants of the Virus.
Boscolo-Rizzo P, Tirelli G, Meloni P, et al.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related smell and taste impairment with widespread diffusion of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant.Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2022 Mar 14:10.1002/alr.22995. doi:10.1002/alr.22995
Menni C, Valdes AM, Polidori L, et al.Symptom prevalence, duration, and risk of hospital admission in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during periods of omicron and delta variant dominance: a prospective observational study from the ZOE COVID Study.Lancet. 2022;399(10335):1618-24. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00327-0
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Testing and Respiratory Viruses.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You’re Sick.
Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Pollen allergy.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Coronavirus and the nervous system.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergic Reactions after COVID-19 Vaccination.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
