COVID Symptoms: Don’t Make This Mistake With Variant BA.2 Symptoms

Symptoms of the new subvariant of the omicron variant – called the BA.2 variant – could be mistaken for spring allergies, experts said recently CBS News.

Why is it important: The coronavirus pandemic has seen a lull in the United States. As spring arrives, new symptoms of the coronavirus variant could be mistaken for simple spring allergies.

Driving the news: Dr. Celine Gounder, clinical assistant professor of medicine and infectious diseases at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said CBS News that you can’t tell the difference between seasonal allergies and COVID-19.

Symptoms: Gounder said specific symptoms such as sniffles, coughing or a stuffy nose could all be from COVID-19, the flu or seasonal allergies.

• “So you have these symptoms, just get tested,” she says.

The bigger picture: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently shared a chart explaining how to tell the difference between COVID-19 and seasonal allergies.

the CDC chart has declared that the following symptoms are due to COVID-19:

• Fever or chills.
• Cough.
• Aches.
• Headache.
• Tired.
• Loss of taste or smell.
• Shortness of breath.
• Sore throat.
• Sneeze.
• Itchy or watery eyes.
• Runny or stuffy nose.

Meanwhile, allergy symptoms often include:

• Cough.
• Headache.
• Tired.
• Sore throat.
• Sneeze.
• Itchy or watery eyes.
• Runny or stuffy nose.