Don’t confuse seasonal allergies with Covid-19: Doctors

KABUL (Pajhwok): Medical experts say seasonal allergies surge with the change in seasons. Symptoms of allergies are the same as Covid-19, but there is no relation between them.

After emerging in the Wuhan city of China, the COVID-19 virus has spread around the world. Hundreds of millions of people have been infected with it and more than 6.3 million have died of the pandemic globally.

Doctors say the pandemic is caused by virus, while allergies result from microbes, dust, warm weather, cold and various foods.

Dr. Abdul Bais Ahadpur, an internal medicine specialist who is currently abroad, told Pajhwok Afghan News that seasonal allergies increased with the change in seasons.

He insisted: “The coronavirus has nothing to do with seasonal allergies, which often occur because of dust. On the other hand, Covid-19 is a virus-caused disease.”

Usually with the end of the cold season and beginning of spring and summer, he said, seasonal allergies affected the eyes of sensitive people due to greenery and rising temperature.

Fever, severe body aches, the loss of the sense of smell, shortness of breath and, in some cases, diarrhea were common symptoms of Covid, he added.

But itching, burning sensation, watery eyes and mucus dripping are the initial symptoms of an allergy.

Ahadpur stressed the need for Covid-19 tests in case of suspicion, because the disease was contagious and dangerous and should not be mistaken for seasonal allergies.

Dr. Naeemullah Waziri, in charge of ICU at the Afghan-Japan Hospital, told Pajhwok: “The weather has an effect on Covid-19. When the weather is too warm or too cold, the virus becomes stronger.”

According to him, the virus intensifies in winter and summer. If the temperature rises, the virus will also increase.

Referring to seasonal sensitivities and cold, the doctor said in some cases allergy symptoms were similar to Covid, but the two conditions should not be confused.

sa/mud

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