Coronavirus has changed our lives completely. While the times have been really tough, people have become more aware of their physical and mental health. Along with the awareness, there is a lot of confusion and misconception. One popular misunderstanding that still persists is regarding the symptoms of coronavirus. Conditions like flu and allergies have similar symptoms and thus are often confused with coronavirus. Here is how you can differentiate between COVID-19 and allergies.
COVID-19
COVID-19 is caused when the body gets infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus strain. It’s a highly contagious disease that affects the respiratory system of humans. It can spread through air and physical contact.
Allergies
This is a type of reaction that occurs in response to the immune system’s contact with a foreign substance. It’s also called hay fever. It cannot be spread from one person to another as different people may be allergic to different substances. The most common types of allergies include nuts, pollen and dust.
Signs of COVID-19
Fatigue, cough, difficulty in breathing, fever and loss of smell and taste are common symptoms of COVID-19 infection.
Signs of allergies
Symptoms of an allergy include stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, itchy skin, nose and eyes, wheezing and swelling.
Prevention tips for COVID-19 and allergies
Preventing tips for COVID-19 have been circulating globally for over a year now. Here are some preventive measures that one must keep in mind.
COVID-19
– Wear your mask when you move out of the house
– Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after returning from outside
– Keep a sanitiser handy, so that you can use it during the unavailability of water and soap
– Wash and disinfect all the groceries and other items that come from outside.
Allergies
Here are some simple measures one can take to prevent allergies:
– Identify the foods that can trigger an allergy in you
– Do not take any medication mindlessly. Always consult a medical professional to avoid any allergy.
– During the spring season, pollen and dust are very active, people with similar allergies might experience discomfort. Keep your medication handy.
– Keep a card with you that clearly has all your allergies mentioned on it.
