LYNCHBURG, Va. – Spring is in the air and so are pollen particles that make your eyes itch and nose run. With COVID-19 cases on the rise again in the Commonwealth, it can be tough to know which you’re dealing with.
“These new variants have become not as dangerous or severe,” Centra Hospital’s Dr. Caesar Gonzales says. “It can be very difficult to tell between the two.”
Dr. Gonzales has worked in health care for 20 years. He says a lot of the symptoms look just alike, but there are a few that don’t overlap.
“If you have itchiness, puffy eyes, kind of an itchy palate, those sorts of things make you more likely to have allergies than COVID.”
As for COVID, Dr. Gonzales says you’re more like to have a fever, chills or body aches. He adds it’s tricky since there are a number of other illnesses out there, like the common cold and the flu.
“It’s smart to get a COVID test so that you can keep yourself from spreading it to other people.”
He says this is especially important if you know you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID.
One more thing — allergies tend to wane. Dr. Gonzales suggests to try staying inside and see if you feel better in a few hours.