FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With many people experiencing spring allergies and the potential spread of COVID-19, the symptoms between the two could get confusing.
“I think everyone, their awareness is heightened by anyone who might seem or appear sick or not feeling well,” Tracy Yocham said.
Yocham, like many people, suffers from allergies when the trees start blooming.
“I recognize those symptoms with the watery eyes, runny nose and those kinds of symptoms where I don’t feel as alarmed by that as thinking it might be something related to the virus,” she said.
Dr. Abby Baldwin says it’s good to know the difference between the symptoms of allergies and the coronavirus. She says typical coronavirus symptoms involve fever, cough and shortness of breath.
“Typically, with allergies, there may be a dry cough or a wet cough but there is not shortness of breath involved and there is also not fever, so that’s how you distinguish between the two,” Dr. Baldwin said.
If you do have fever or cough Dr. Baldwin recommends calling your doctor’s office before showing up. But if you are having trouble breathing then you probably need to go to the emergency room.
She says the most important thing is to not panic when you are out in public but to definitely keep a distance from people who are coughing and sneezing.
“People should cough or sneeze into the crook of their arm rather than in their hand, so if you do touch things you are spreading germs. If someone does sneeze around you then it’s better to go ahead and wash your hands,” Dr. Baldwin said.
Also, remember to not touch your face and if you do to wash your hands to keep from spreading germs.