Hay fever vs. COVID-19: How to tell the difference

Spring’s in the air… and so is pollen. But these days, a runny nose or sneezing fit doesn’t just make you reach for tissues—it makes you wonder, “Wait… is this hay fever, or did I catch something worse?”Welcome to the age of allergy anxiety. COVID-19 is still hanging around in waves, and hay fever (aka allergic rhinitis) shows up like clockwork each year, causing sniffles, itchy eyes, and sinus pressure that weirdly feel suspiciously like early COVID symptoms. So how do you actually tell the difference?Hay fever isn’t caused by hay and it’s not a fever.

It’s an allergic response to pollen, dust mites, mold, or pet dander. Your immune system overreacts to these harmless particles like they’re invaders, leading to inflammation in your nose, throat, eyes, and sinuses.I

t’s super common especially from late March to September when pollen counts go wild. Depending on where you live, tree pollen starts first, followed by grass, and finally weed pollen in late summer.

The early symptoms

Let’s say you wake up with a scratchy throat and a mild headache. Cue panic.Here’s where it gets confusing—both hay fever and COVID-19 can cause:

But the why and how long behind the symptoms often differ.

COVID-19 symptoms

COVID tends to sneak in like a full-body invader. Early on, you might feel "off"—chills, muscle aches, fatigue that hits like a truck. Fever is a common red flag. And loss of taste or smell? That’s a signature COVID move, especially if it happens suddenly without a blocked nose.

COVID symptoms usually come on quickly and worsen over 2–3 days. You might start with a sore throat or fatigue, and then by day 2 or 3, you’ve got a hacking cough, fever, or worse.Key clues it’s probably COVID-19: sudden loss of taste or smell, fever or chills, body aches, shortness of breath, nausea or diarrhea. Symptoms appear abruptly and get worse over a few days

Hay fever is usually more of a face attack

You’ll feel it in your eyes, nose, and throat—sometimes even in your ears.

Itchy, watery eyes are a classic giveaway. And the congestion or sneezing fits often follow a very predictable pattern—worse in the morning, better after a shower, or triggered by walking past a blooming tree.Plus, if it happens every spring or always gets worse when you mow the lawn, there’s your answer.Key clues it’s probably hay fever are itchy or watery eyes, no fever at all, symptoms are seasonal or triggered by outdoors. It improves with antihistamines and the sneezing fits or nasal itching that don’t turn into body aches

The sneeze test

Yes, both conditions can make you sneeze.

But hay fever sneezes usually come in bunches—like rapid-fire explosions. COVID-related sneezing is much less common. If your sneezing is uncontrollable and paired with itchy eyes or ears, that leans heavily toward hay fever.

Taste and smell

If you suddenly lose your ability to taste your coffee or can’t smell your shampoo, but your nose isn’t even that blocked, that’s a huge red flag for COVID-19.In hay fever, smell and taste can dull a bit—but mostly because your nose is stuffed, not because the virus is messing with your nervous system.

How to be sure: Rapid tests and allergy meds

If you’re still in doubt, take a COVID-19 rapid antigen test. They’re quick, and they’re a good first step. Another trick? Try an over-the-counter antihistamine. If your symptoms improve in an hour or two, it’s likely hay fever. COVID doesn’t care about allergy meds.

Can you have both at once? Sadly, yes

Just to make life harder, you can have COVID-19 and hay fever at the same time. If your allergies are flaring and suddenly you feel exhausted, feverish, or short of breath, don’t chalk it all up to pollen. Test yourself, stay cautious, and isolate if needed.If you’re someone who deals with allergies every spring like clockwork, and your symptoms feel just like last year, it’s probably hay fever. But if something feels off, especially with fatigue or fever, don’t wait—test and stay safe.