How can you tell the difference between the symptoms? – NBC Chicago

If you’re wondering if a runny nose, sore throat, or sneezing is just an allergy, a cold, or a sign of COVID-19, you’re not alone.

When many people experience cold-like symptoms and the equinox allergy begins, it can be difficult to decipher what may be behind the onset of the symptoms.

Experts say that the only real way to know the answer is to test, but until then, health officials say they treat possible symptoms as COVID.

Dr. Allison Arwadi, Chicago’s director of public health, said last month that mitigation measures began to be launched across the state and city, so if you feel sick, you should stay home, at least until the COVID test is negative. ..

“First of all, I think it’s really important to stay home when people get sick, or at least until the COVID test is negative,” she said on Facebook Live before the city disbanded. rice field. The obligation of the mask and vaccine.

Although the number of cases in Chicago is declining, public health officials say that the majority of cases still seen are Omicron variants that cause milder illness, especially in vaccinated individuals. ..

Sore throat continues to be a symptom reported, especially in mild breakthrough infections.

Former President Barack Obama Announced on social media on Sunday He tested positive for the coronavirus, but states that he is only dealing with mild symptoms of the virus and is dealing with itching in the throat.

“I tested positive for COVID,” he tweeted. “I had a scratch on my throat for a few days, but everything else is fine. Michelle and I are grateful for the vaccination and boost immunization, and she was negative on the test.”

Arwady says that anyone who feels a little sick has to stay home and test since the Omicron surge began.

“Whatever it is, even if it’s a sore throat,” she said at her last Facebook live. “I told my staff this, that’s what I’m doing … If you’re sick, if you’re sick, stay home. Because you’re sick, even a little It’s more true than ever until it proves ill In a test-it’s COVID. That’s how we handle it, that’s how you should handle it. “

Dr. Catherine Pauling, an infectious disease specialist and a member of the Immunization Implementation Advisory Board, Told NBC News In January, cough, congestion, runny nose, and malaise appear to be prominent symptoms of the Omicron variant. However, unlike the delta type, many patients do not lose their taste or smell. She said these symptoms may only reflect a particular population.

Still, CDC data show that the most common symptoms are cough, malaise, stuffy nose, and runny nose.

Symptoms listed by the CDC

Overall, the COVID symptoms reported by the CDC are:

• Fever or chills
• cough
• Shortness of breath or shortness of breath
• Malaise
• Muscle and body pain
• headache
• New loss of taste and smell
• sore throat
• Stuffy nose or runny nose.
• Nausea or vomiting
• diarrhea

“This list is not all possible symptoms,” said the CDC. “Contact your healthcare provider for severe or other symptoms that are relevant to you.”

Some CDCs are called “”Coronavirus self-checker“This allows people to answer a series of questions and decide if they should get medical care.

“The Coronavirus Self-Checker determines when individuals over the age of 13 and parents and caregivers of children aged 2 to 12 seek testing or medical care if they or an acquaintance suspects they have a contract. It’s an interactive clinical evaluation tool to help you in close contact with COVID-19, or someone who has COVID-19, “reads the CDC website.

Click here for how to use..

The CDC encourages people who have or may have COVID-19 to monitor emergency warning signs and seek medical care immediately if they experience any of the following symptoms:

• Dyspnea
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New mess
• Can’t wake up or can’t keep awake
• Light, gray, or blue skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on the color of the skin

You can also notify the operator that you or someone you care for believes that you are infected with COVID.

For influenza, the CDC has the following symptoms:

• Feel fever or fever / chills
• cough
• sore throat
• Runny nose or stuffy nose
• Muscle and body pain
• headache
• Fatigue (fatigue)
• Some people can have vomiting and diarrhea, which is more common in children than in adults.

Regarding allergies, the CDC states that some people may experience symptoms of rhinitis and conjunctivitis. The symptoms are:

• Symptoms of allergic rhinitis are:
  • sneeze
  • I have a runny nose
  • congestion
• The symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis are:
  • Red, watery, or itchy eyes