KITCHENER -- With summer allergy season in full swing, there are concerns that people suffering from the sniffles might be showing symptoms of COVID-19.
Summer is peak season for environmental allergies like grass, pollen and ragweed.
Navneet Randhawa, associate owner of Uptown Shoppers Drug Mart, said allergies and COVID-19 symptoms can be confused.
"They do overlap a lot," she said. "Sneezing coughing and then the runny, watery eyes, those are some of the very common allergy symptoms."
But there are some differences, according to Randhawa.
"When it comes to COVID, I think coughing is one of the common symptoms, although cough is not a common symptom with allergies," Randhawa said.
A study by Shoppers Drug Mart found 60 per cent of people suffering from allergies are worried others might think they have COVID-19. More than 50 per cent said they've been confronted by someone who thinks they might be contagious, the study said.
Randhawa said it's best to keep allergy symptoms under control.
"Your pharmacist can help you a lot dealing with allergies so that people don't confuse you for COVID-19," she said.
Health officials encourage anyone who thinks they might have been exposed to COVID-19 to go for a test.
