How to tell symptoms of coronavirus, the flu and allergies apart?

Now that seasonal allergies are kicking in and flu season is approaching, many might be wondering how to tell their symptoms apart from COVID-19 symptoms.

Some of the common symptoms amongst all three are coughing, a runny nose, sneezing, congestion, chills. But how do you know which one of the three it is?

Allergy

Allergies might have you develop a cough, or your nose might get congested, and you might start sneezing, have headaches, and red and itchy eyes. In some cases, a rash may even occur around the eyes.

However, fever is not a symptom of allergies, while it is one of both the novel coronavirus, as well as influenza.

Influenza

While the coronavirus pandemic may be occupying most minds around the world, flu season is upon us, which will make it more challenging to seek coronavirus infected people out.

Fever is common in the majority of influenza cases; however, if you do not have a fever, but are experiencing body aches or headaches, that could be a sign that you have to flu. Other flu symptoms are chills, coughing, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, fatigue, and nausea or vomiting or diarrhoea.

Coronavirus

COVID-19 has some symptoms that are hard to differentiate from the above mentioned two. Coughing, congestion, runny nose and sneezing similarly to allergies, and fever, fatigue, body aches, headaches, sore throat, and sometimes diarrhoea, similarly to the flu.