If you suffer from allergies, spring comes with sneezing. But, since COVID-19 has a long list of possible symptoms, this year every sneeze might make you wonder if you – or someone nearby – has the virus.
“Achoo!” The familiar sound has taken on new meaning in 2020. That’s because SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spreads via respiratory droplets that leave our bodies when we cough or sneeze.
Worn properly, face masks can help to limit the spread of the disease by containing most of these droplets.
Is sneezing an early sign that you’ve caught the virus?
The short answer is probably not. It’s more likely to be allergies or a common cold. Yes, sneezing can definitely spread COVID-19 if you are carrying it (even if you don’t know you’re infected). However, sneezing is not in itself a symptom of COVID-19.
The primary signs of COVID-19 are fever, a dry cough and tiredness, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Other common symptoms include:
· Aches and pains
· A sore throat
· Diarrhoea
· Conjunctivitis (red or swollen eyes)
· A headache
· A loss of taste or smell
· A skin rash skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes.
Serious symptoms are difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, and a loss of speech or movement. If you experience one of these (or observe them in someone you’re caring for), seek immediate medical attention. Remember to call before visiting your doctor or healthcare facility.
Sneezing plus congestion (probably) equals allergies
Because there is some symptom overlap, it can be tricky to tell the difference between allergies, a cold, the flu or COVID-19. But if you catch yourself sneezing and you’re congested too, that could be a good clue.
In an early WHO report that looked at the symptoms of over 56 000 Chinese patients with COVID-19, fewer than five per cent (4.8%) experienced congestion. Since congestion is a common symptom of seasonal allergies, when sneezing occurs along with stuffiness, you’re more likely to be having an allergic reaction to pollen or dust – known as hayfever or allergic rhinitis – than to be fighting off infection by COVID-19.
How many times a day is it normal to sneeze?
Of course, not every sneeze automatically means illness – or, for that matter, even seasonal allergies. Sneezing is a perfectly natural mechanism your body uses to clear your nose of dirt, pollen or smoke. A study from Denmark showed that more than 95% of healthy people sneezed and blew their noses up to four times a day. More than that and you could be dealing with a case of rhinitis or a cold.
Nothing to sneeze at: why it’s best to play it safe
While sneezing is not a classic symptom of COVID-19, it is possible to have the virus and seasonal allergies, a cold – or a perfectly normal bout of nose-clearing sneezes –at the same time. And, if you do, your sneezing could easily infect someone else. That’s why it’s important to keep up with preventative measures such as wearing your face mask in public, coughing and sneezing into your elbow or a tissue rather than your hand (and immediately throwing the tissue away), and frequent hand washing.
If you suspect you might have COVID-19, call your healthcare provider. Calling ahead prevents you from spreading – or being infected by – the coronavirus and allows your healthcare provider to direct you to the right facility.
IMAGE CREDIT: 123rf.com