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I’m sneezing - is it Omicron or an allergy?

I’m sneezing - is it Omicron or an allergy?

The hay fever season has started early, leading to confusion

solange vázquez

Monday, 31 January 2022, 10:33

Right now, we’re all going crazy with tissues and antigen tests. A sneeze - let alone several in a row - sets off alarm bells, and not only ours but those of everyone around us. If you don’t believe it, try this experiment: go ‘Achoo’ in an enclosed space with other people around, and you will see immediately that people give you accusing looks, move away, look uncomfortable and adjust their masks for a better fit. They (we) are afraid of catching Covid, of course.

What is happening is that the first allergies are starting to appear as some plants are flowering early, and the symptoms are similar to those caused by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus (sore throat, sneezing) which is predominant right now. So every sneeze and cough makes people worry!

The Cupressaceae, of which the cypress is best-known, began its pollination in December and reaches its maximum levels between now and February. Many people are allergic to it: at present, four out of every ten cases of pollen allergy are due to this type of tree and bush, according to the online pharmacy Dosfarma. It says that this type of allergy has increased by 30 per cent in the last few years, mainly due to the fact that they have been planted for decoration in many places, especially in big cities.

So, at this time of the year we are in their ‘kingdom’ and also, to a certain extent, that of pine and birch trees, and people who suffer from these allergies are already very aware of that fact. So what’s the problem? Many of them, amid this psychosis of “have I got Covid or not?” have no idea whether they are suffering from hay fever or if these are early signs of the virus, which is currently at its peak (it is hoped that by May or June this sixth wave of Covid will have passed).

Pedro Gamboa, an allergist at Igualatorio Médico Quirúrgico (IMQ), and Amanda Dutruc, a pharmacist at Dosfarma, give us some clues here on how to distinguish Omicron from allergies which occur at this time of year.

Fever

This is the main difference. “There is never fever with an allergy,” stressed Pedro Gamboa. Although some sufferers say they notice a rise in temperature at certain times - they say they feel hot - this expert insists that that is not a fever, as indicated by a thermometer. So, if you have a fever, it isn’t because of an allergy. It could be Omicron, or maybe a cold. However, it doesn’t work like that the other way round: no fever doesn’t mean no Covid; although it is a common symptom, some people who test positive for the virus never have a temperature.

Nasal secretions

Although in both cases there may be a blocked or runny nose, the nasal secretions due to Omicron and those from an allergy are different. Those from an allergy are generally more liquid, abundant and clear.

Sneezing

“Common symptoms of an allergy are an itchy nose, eyes, ears and even the roof of the mouth. That doesn’t happen with Covid,” said Gamboa. In both cases, people sneeze, but allergic sneezing is usually as the result of an uncontrollable tickle that we cannot ignore.

Duration

“As we have seen, the Omicron symptoms last between two and four days, or maybe a week at most, while allergy symptoms can go on for several weeks, while the pollinaion lasts,” said Amanda Dutruc. If you have symptoms that you’re not sure about for more than a week, it is almost certainly due to an allergy.

General effects

“An allergy doesn’t make you tired or cause pain... no general feeling of being unwell,” said Gamboa. Omicron, however, does. In fact, that is one of the principal symptoms.

“Also the symptoms of Omicron diminish as the days pass, while those of an allergy tend not to,” added Dutruc.

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