Expert warns of 'difficulty' in telling difference between Covid and hay fever

A professor has warned of how difficult it can be to tell the difference between hay fever and Covid at this time of year.

The pollen season is officially underway this month - which has come at a time when virus infections in Scotland have spiked once again.

This recent rise in Covid cases is due to the BA.2 Omicron sub-variant, which now accounts for more than 80 per cent of cases in Scotland.

Around four million people in the UK are also said to suffer with the seasonal allergy of hay fever.

Around four million people are said to suffer with hay fever in the UK (Getty Images)

Dr Celine Gounder, a clinical assistant professor of medicine and infectious diseases at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, has spoken of the difficulties of differentiating the two conditions without getting tested for Covid.

“The fact is, you can’t tell the difference without a test”, she told CBS News.

“You can have the cough, you can have sore throat. It could be from Covid or it could be from the flu or seasonal allergies.

“If you have those symptoms, just take a test.”

Dr Gounder said the key to telling the difference between the two is getting a Covid test (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

She went on to add: “If you’ve had high risk exposure, if you have symptoms, absolutely go and get a test.”

Experts closer to home have agreed in terms of the difficulties in determining the two conditions.

NHS chiefs in Rotherham have penned a guide on the differences and similarities of Covid and hay fever symptoms.

They write: “It can be really easy to mistake hay fever and some of the early symptoms of Covid-19, especially when we are all very aware, and being very careful.

“If you often have hay fever, you will be familiar with the symptoms you usually get.

“If you notice a change to these or have specific symptoms of Covid-19, you MUST follow Government advice and self-isolate.

“If your symptoms continue or worsen, please seek advice from NHS 111 or your local GP.”

Common hay fever symptoms include:

• A runny or blocked nose
• Sneezing and coughing
• Sore eyes
• Itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
• Itchy, red, watering eyes
• Reduced sense of smell
• Pain around temples and forehead
• Headache
• Earache
• Feeling a bit tired
• If you have asthma, symptoms also include a tight feeling in chest, shortness of breath and wheeze and cough

While common symptoms of Covid are:

• A high temperature
• A new persistent cough
• Loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
• Headache
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Aches and pains
• Tiredness
• Diarrhoea
• Some people have reported nausea and a runny nose, but this is rare