LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - With spring comes more warm days, more sunshine and unfortunately, more pollen.

It comes a time when getting outside for a walk or run is one of the only safe ways to get outside, meaning allergy sufferers should know what to watch for, in case what you think is allergies is something more serious.

"It's officially that season," Dr. Kirk Kinberg, with Allergy, Asthma and Immunology said.

Kinberg said pollen counts are up, with tree pollen from juniper and elm trees especially high. This will likely continue from now until the first frost of next fall.

It happens every year. but what doesn't happen, is a pandemic.

Kinberg said he's already getting calls from patients wondering if their allergy symptoms are signs of the Coronavirus.

"There is overlap, allergies can make you feel as if you've had a cold, so it can be hard to tell, Kinberg said.

But there are a few ways to tell a difference, Kinberg said.

The main symptoms of allergies are sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, sinus drainage or pressure and the potential loss of sense of smell. The main symptoms of the Coronavirus are fever, cough and shortness of breath.

While allergies can cause a cough or shortness of breath for those with asthma or more severe cases, Kinberg said it's rare for allergies to cause a fever.

If you develop symptoms, the best way to rule out allergies is to take an allergy medicine and see if your symptoms go away.

"If you start to develop increasing shortness of breathe, fever or losing sense of smell, those would be indicators you could need more testing," Kinberg said.

Read more here:
Allergies or COVID-19: how to spot the difference in symptoms - 1011now