Allergies, Cold, Flu or COVID? Learn the Facts
In years past, a case of the sniffles was hardly reason to get excited. These days, however, it can send any ordinary person scrambling to Google to determine if they have a cold, the flu, or something more serious.
This is an understandable reaction during a global pandemic responsible for thousands of diagnoses and deaths every day. Unfortunately, COVID-19 shares many symptoms with more common illnesses like the cold and the flu, which can make it difficult to know right away how you should react to protect yourself and others around you. Should you quarantine? Medicate? See a doctor?
While COVID-19 shares some similar indicators with the cold, the flu and seasonal allergies, some symptoms are exclusive to each one of these conditions. Check out this handy chart to track your symptoms and help identity your condition.
| Symptoms | Allergies | Cold | Flu | COVID-19 |
| Cough | Sometimes | Common | Common | Common (dry) |
| Muscle aches | Never | Sometimes | Common | Common |
| Fatigue | Sometimes | Sometimes | Common | Common |
| Sore throat | Rarely | Common | Common | Common |
| Sneezing | Common | Sometimes | n/a | Sometimes |
| Runny/stuffy nose | Common | Common | Common | Common |
| Fever | Never | Sometimes | Common (not always) | Common |
| Nausea or vomitting | Never | Never | Sometimes (more common in children) | Sometimes |
| Diarrhea | Never | Never | Sometimes (more common in children) | Sometimes |
| Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing | n/a | n/a | Common | Common |
| New loss of taste or smell | Sometimes | Sometimes (with a stuffy nose) | Rare | Common (early and commonly without runny or stuffy nose) |
| Conjuctivitis (pink eye) | Sometimes | n/a | n/a | Sometimes |
| Itchy nose, eyes, mouth or inner ear | Common | n/a | n/a | Never |
Of course, the only way to know for sure if you have COVID-19 or something else is to get tested. If you feel any of the symptoms listed, even if you have a history of seasonal allergies, you should immediately self-isolate and schedule an appointment to be evaluated. Find a qualified provider here or call the Culbertson Memorial Hospital Registration Department at (217) 322-4321.