Allergies, Covid or a Cold? Here’s How to Tell the Difference.

As summer approaches, many people with spring allergies are still suffering. And as new Covid variants circulate, experts say we may also soon see an uptick in cases. (Though wastewater data suggests that Covid cases are currently fairly low.)

It can be tricky to distinguish between seasonal allergy symptoms, early signs of the coronavirus or just a run-of-the-mill cold.

The clearest way to get an answer is to take a Covid test. But at-home rapid tests have become more difficult to get a hold of since the public health emergency expired. Here are other tips to help you identify the source of your suffering.

Watch out for specific symptoms

Some people with Covid can experience the worst symptoms during, say, their third infection compared to their first two. But in most cases, the more immunity someone has built up — through repeat infections, vaccinations or a combination of the two — the milder Covid symptoms tend to be.

“In most people, it’s the sneezy, stuffy nose — it’s like my allergies, for sure,” said Dr. Davey Smith, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Diego.

People with allergies rarely develop high fevers; if you are running a temperature above 100.4 degrees it’s more likely to be Covid or another viral infection, said Dr. Purvi Parikh, an allergist and immunologist at NYU Langone Health.

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