How To Tell If It’s The Flu, Coronavirus Or Allergies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at least 34 million Americans have or have had the flu this season. Coronavirus is believed to have infected more than 100,000 people worldwide. Allergies and the common cold are always an issue for millions. So with all these ailments taking place at the same time, it’s important to know how to tell whether a person has one or the other.

The symptoms surrounding the coronavirus, the flu and the cold or allergies can differ from person to person. However, Mayo Clinic and the CDC have provided some tips on how to identify each in a report by CNN.

Symptoms of the the cold, allergies, the flu or coronavirus can be initially similar, but as time goes on, cold or allergy symptoms tend to be less severe. The cold or allergies typically have three minor symptoms: itchy eyes, stuffy or runny nose and sneezing. In other words, symptoms of allergies and the cold tend to stick to one’s head.

Symptoms of the flu and coronavirus pop up throughout the body and can get progressively worse as time passes. Symptoms for both include fever, body aches, fatigue and a cough. Either of these viruses typically force people to stick in bed.

In addition to the symptoms it shares with the flu, coronavirus can also cause shortness of breath. There are other ways to help identify the coronavirus that isn’t related to symptoms. Those who have the virus might have traveled to an infected area recently, lived in the area of an outbreak, been near someone with the virus or been on a cruise ship.