Fall allergies or COVID-19? One local allergist explains the difference

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – Have you been experiencing fall allergy symptoms a bit early this year? One local allergist says there’s a reason for that.

We spoke with Baylor Scott & White Health Allergist Dr. David Weldon Tuesday and he said a couple of plants are pollinating right now, causing allergies, including fall-blooming elm and Pigweed. He said the big one to watch out for is ragweed, which has had an early arrival this year due to the hot and dry weather. He predicts ragweed allergy levels should peak toward the end of the month.

We asked Dr. Weldon how we can spot the difference between allergy symptoms and COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms. This is what he said:

“Usually, people with allergies are going to have itching of their eyes, of their nose, they’ll have a lot more sneezing; Whereas viral infections, they’re going to have more of the scratchy sore throat, they’re going to feel a lot achy, especially with COVID,” said Dr. Weldon. “It’s going to be very much like the flu and associated with a fever.”

He said allergies do not give you a fever, but COVID-19 and the flu certainly do. However, he said just because you have allergies doesn’t mean you’re safe from COVID-19 and that you should still wash your hands, wear your face mask, and practice social distancing.

Dr. Weldon added if your annual allergy symptoms are worse than the year before, you could be having immune-system complications and should consider visiting an allergist.

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