COVID or Allergies?

It took two years, but I finally got COVID-19. My symptoms are mild, but I'm sneezing like crazy.

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By Anisa Arsenault, Associate Editorial Director It took two years, but I finally got COVID-19. My symptoms are mild, but I'm sneezing like crazy. Today's Top Story Differentiating Between COVID and Allergies For the first year and a half of the pandemic, sneezing was not considered a symptom of the virus. It's something our team talked about often. Enter Omicron. The new variant came with more cold-like symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, and sore throat.   Sounds a lot like seasonal allergies, right? Allergies and Omicron have several overlapping symptoms: • Runny nose • Congestion • Cough • Headache • Fatigue • Sore throat • Sneezing Know More Some symptoms are unique to COVID, like fever, chills, body aches, nausea, diarrhea, and loss of taste or smell. Symptoms like itchy eyes or post-nasal drip are more likely to be allergies. Feel Better There is a way to get a definitive answer to the allergies or COVID question: Take a test! COVID-19 testing is more important than ever as we enter allergy season. READ MORE How Effective Were Vaccines During the Omicron Surge? Although it seemed like everyone was getting sick with Omicron at the height of the surge, the vaccines still did their jobs. A CDC study found that the vaccine was 79% effective in preventing death as Omicron became the dominant variant. Protection was even higher (94%) for people who got boosted. Experts said these findings are promising in the wake of BA.2 and the vaccines will likely have similar efficacy against this variant. READ MORE What Is Alopecia? If you watched the Oscars this past weekend, you might be wondering what Alopecia is. There are different types but the most common, Alopecia areata, is an autoimmune disorder that leads to rapid hair loss in a sharply defined area. Many parts of the body can be affected including the scalp, face, eyebrows, and eyelashes. The condition can't be cured, but in most people the hair will grow within a year without treatment. READ MORE   In Other News   ■ A Male Birth Control Remains Elusive. The New York Times     ■ Should You Be Turning Your Medical Records Into an NFT? Mel Magazine     ■ Can a Single Bee Sting Really Kill You Like on 'Bridgerton'? Slate More From Verywell What Are Autoimmune Diseases? READ MORE How Alopecia Areata Is Treated READ MORE How Do You Know If You Have Allergies? READ MORE   How'd we do? If you have any feedback, send us a note at   feedback@verywell.com.         You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Verywell Health newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here.   A DOTDASH MEREDITH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2022 verywellhealth.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy