The tri-state area has entered allergy season. The symptoms can be confusing with
COVID-19 still around, not to mention the flu.
Dr. Chirag
Patel, from Ocean Allergy, explains what he’s seeing this year. Allergy season
has gotten longer over the years, “especially with the warmer weather you get
an early pollination season and we have seen the length of pollination season
increase over the last several years.”
Allergy
symptoms can mirror the same symptoms of the common cold, COVID-19 and the
flu. However, there is one key symptom that is unique to allergies, as Patel
explains. “With allergies, something you have to watch out for is the
itching," says Patel. "That’s typically not present with
the cold. Colds can also present with congestion, headaches and fevers.”
Patel also says to
look out if it’s a windy spring because that could lead to an even worse
allergy season. “Certain
pollens can travel hundreds of miles across," says Patel. "Just
because you don’t have a specific tree in this area doesn’t mean you can’t
be allergic to a tree in another area.”
The Ocean
County Health Department is reporting a slight bump in COVID-19
cases, and free testing is still available through the
department. Some private sites are starting to charge insurance copayments.