The 11 symptoms that indicate Covid not hay fever as 'Nimbus' variant hits UK
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Symptoms can differentiate a Covid infection from hay fever, despite some signs of these conditions overlapping. There are distinct ways to tell them apart.
This year has seen millions across Britain grappling with the annoyance of hay fever symptoms as the Met Office reports "very high" pollen counts in certain areas. Hay fever is triggered by an allergic reaction to airborne allergens like pollen, often leading to sneezing, a blocked nose, headaches, and even loss of smell which overlap with COVID-19 indicators.
Dr Luke Powles, an associate clinical director at Bupa, stated: "Despite Hay fever being more common during the spring and summer, some people are affected by pollen from March to September. This can make it harder to tell if sniffs and sneezes are being caused by an allergy or an infection such as coronavirus."
A concern for many is the spread of a new Covid variant known as NB. 1.8.1 (or Nimbus) throughout the UK. As per data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), hospital admissions for Covid have jumped by nearly 10 percent with 947 patients admitted in the week ending May 31, reports Surrey Live.
However, there are ways to distinguish hay fever from Covid. The main sign to look for is a high temperature, which occurs when someone has coronavirus but not hay fever.
The NHS says this means "you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)". It can also cause shivering.
Dr Powles noted that a temperature is "not likely" to occur with hay fever. He explained: "Although a blocked nose due to hay fever can affect your sense of smell or taste, completely losing your ability to taste or smell is more likely to result from coronavirus."
Furthermore, Covid tends to make the affected person feel more unwell in general. "Hay fever symptoms aren't usually serious and, generally, you won't feel too ill," he added.
In contrast, Covid can be severe in some cases, with symptoms lasting weeks, months, or even years in the case of long Covid. According to the NHS, "The symptoms [of Covid] are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu.
"Most people feel better within a few weeks, but it can take longer to recover." Additionally, Covid can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, which are not typically associated with hay fever.
These symptoms include feeling or being sick and experiencing diarrhoea. If you suspect you have Covid, it is recommended to stay at home and avoid contact with others if you or your child have symptoms and either:
Have a high temperature
Do not feel well enough to go to work, school, childcare, or engage in normal activities
The NHS advises that you can resume "normal activities" when you feel better or no longer have a high temperature.
Common symptoms of hay fever include:
Sneezing and coughing
A runny or blocked nose
Itchy, red or watery eyes
Itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
Loss of smell
Pain around the sides of your head and your forehead
Headache
Feeling tired
Symptoms of Covid can include:
A high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
Shortness of breath
Feeling tired or exhausted
An aching body
A headache
A sore throat
A blocked or runny nose
Loss of appetite
Diarrhoea
Feeling sick or being sick
Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
Find out what's happening near you
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
NHS has ‘culture of cover-up' over failures, Health Secretary says
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the NHS has a 'culture of cover-up' as he apologised for failures that are said to have left a woman permanently disabled. He told MPs there is 'too much of that happening' in the NHS, and that reputations are protected instead of patients being told the truth. The minister's comments came after Labour MP Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) told him about the experience of a woman in his constituency who suffered from nerve damage after a hip operation, but was told her pain was 'common'. Mr Moon said: 'A couple of weeks ago at my constituency surgery, through the tears, my constituent Amy explained how, following a hip operation in 2008, she suffered progressive nerve damage due to repeated failures in diagnosis, referral and treatment. 'Despite raising concerns for years, she was told her pain was common. 'A nerve test in 2015 confirmed damage and further tests last year showed a significant deterioration. After 17 years, she's only now been offered surgery. 'All Amy wants to know is what steps are being taken to ensure that no other patient is left permanently disabled due to such long and systemic failures.' Responding, Mr Streeting said: 'Can I first of all, on behalf of the NHS, apologise to his constituent. 'That is a totally intolerable situation, but sadly not rare or exceptional. 'There's too much of that happening and a culture of cover-up and covering reputations, rather than being honest with patients about failures. 'We are changing the culture, safety is at the heart of the 10-year plan, and I'd be delighted to talk to him further about his constituent's case.' Elsewhere during health and social care oral questions on Tuesday, the Government was challenged on the difficulties that pharmacies are facing. Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden (South Devon) told MPs the 'current funding model doesn't take into account the lower footfall and the limited referral rates that are common in rural areas'. She said: 'If a pharmacy in a small market town closes, it can cause extreme difficulties for people to access advice and medicines, particularly where there is little or no public transport and they have to go a long way.' Conservative shadow health minister Dr Luke Evans raised the cap on funded consultation appointments that pharmacies can schedule through the Pharmacy First Scheme. He said: 'Once they hit that cap, they are no longer paid the £17 per consultation. 'That, in turn, may mean patients will either be turned away or the pharmacist has to take the hit and has to pay for it themselves.' Care minister Stephen Kinnock replied: 'The pharmacy sector is facing huge challenges after massive cuts over the last 14 years. We're beginning to rebuild, but there are particular challenges for rural pharmacies. 'We are looking at comprehensive reform in the pharmacy sector around better use of technology, hub-and-spoke dispensing and a range of other options which would enable better remote dispensing for rural pharmacies.' He told Dr Evans that the 'record uplift' of £3.1 billion for the pharmacy sector was coming in 'after years of underfunding, incompetence and neglect' from the Conservatives, and that the allocation of funding will be looked at in their reforms.
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
I thought I was a ‘moderate' drinker until I started tracking my alcohol
I'm a social drinker. Warmer, friendlier, after a few glasses. I never drink at home but when I'm out with friends (I work alone during the day), it's a joy to split a bottle of wine at supper, then put the world to rights over another glass. I'd class myself as a 'moderate drinker'. But am I really? The NHS defines 'moderate' as 14 units of alcohol a week and urges both men and women to make this their upper limit. The problem is I tend to assume a large glass of wine is a unit, but in my heart I know this is wishful thinking. A small glass (ie a 125ml thimble of wine) is actually 1.5 units. While a large glass of wine is 3.1 units. In the back of my mind I knew this but have been turning a blind eye. Research shows most of us are prone to this glass half-full mentality when it comes to wine. We can't do the maths. So challenged by the health editor of this paper, I download an app and keep track for a week. Logging my daily units The MyDrinkaware app is a free online calendar that aims to help people understand what impact their drinking might be having on their health. When I fill out the initial questionnaire I feel slightly smug. No, I haven't blacked out, injured myself or another person, forgotten the events of the night before. Three times a week I might have four drinks – but that's moderate, isn't it? Big mistake. The app tells me bluntly that I'm at 'increasing risk' of being dependent on alcohol. 'Your drinking is dangerous to your health, increasing your risk of serious health problems, including seven types of cancer, liver and heart disease and high blood pressure. Unless you cut down, you are at risk of damaging your health.' Gulp. When I consult professor David Nutt, director of the Neuropsychopharmacology Unit in the Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London (and co-creator of non-alcoholic drink Sentia), he warns that if we discovered ethanol (alcohol) today, and it was put through the food safety testing requirements, the maximum recommended limit would be a single glass of wine per year. 'Even drinking below the 14 unit per week threshold does increase the risk of breast cancer,' he says. 'If you have a family history of this or have the genes that predispose, then the risk is greater, so you might decide not to drink at all. However, whatever risk category you are in, the less you drink the lower your risk.' I'm shaken. The new moderate me rarely goes over 14 units, surely? So each day for a week I log my drinking on the app. It's a slightly unusual week – including a 60th birthday, the 40th anniversary of a friend's beauty brand at Claridge's, the party for The National Gallery's reopening of The Sainsbury Wing, and a book prize. So there will be a bit more celebrating than usual. But I'm hopeful I can hold the line. Then – bad news – a dear friend reveals she's having a trial marriage separation, and inevitably our cinema evenings involve a bottle or two. ' I'm made of wine at the moment,' she says bravely. Oh dear, my audit isn't looking good. Doing the drink maths Saturday Girls lunch – four small glasses of white (six units) Supper – four small glasses of red (six units) The first shock is how many empty calories I'm putting away. On Saturday, I have a girls' lunch (four small glasses of white wine), then supper and a film with my friend (four small glasses red). Those eight drinks constitute a whopping 728 calories. And, the app tells me, I've used up 13 units. So I've nearly bust my total already. I try not do lunch and supper on the same day (it's too easy to forget the lunchtime units), but this is scary. Monday Picnic – two large glasses of white (6.5 units) On Monday I have a money-saving picnic by the river (my friend decants two large glasses of white wine from her flask) before Sondheim at the theatre. I'm feeling quite proud of myself but the app meanly informs me that's 6.5 units (364 calories). Tuesday Cocktail with a friend at The Groucho Club (two units) The Book Awards – champagne (9.13 units) I meet a friend for a martini before The Book Awards on Tuesday. She's an actress, so the wine waiters are particularly attentive at the awards (did I mention my house rule is never to turn down champagne?). But it's an own goal. The app informs me I've consumed 10.5 units (588 calories). Wednesday Champagne at Claridge's, plus a nightcap (9.13 units) On Wednesday at Claridge's, there's free-flowing champagne again. By my conservative estimate, I had five glasses, then a nightcap at my friend's house – and the app registers 9.13 units (511 calories). Oh God, it was probably more than that. The next day I feel hungover. I've been very proud of myself for giving up free sugar (for this paper). I've stuck to it for three months and lost several inches. But heavens I'm tempted to have biscuits. Only pride helps me not to succumb. Booze does lead to poor food impulse control. Thursday National Gallery party – champagne – again! (9.75 units) 60th birthday – double G&T, plus a small glass of wine (5.25 units) Normally I'd go into purdah for a few days to atone. But unfortunately it's The Sainsbury Wing party the next night. I am deeply grateful to their champagne sponsor (these days parties in the arts are pretty dry), but I rack up 9.75 units (546 calories). I'm actually the plus one this evening – there to support my friend, carry her bag. All fine, but I'm beginning to realise that being the bridesmaid (not the bride) makes you drink more. No one is terribly interested in you, so you hit the drinks tray more often. At the 60th birthday supper I manage to stick to a double G&T and small glass of wine, but that's still 5.25 units (294 calories), way over my daily allowance. The units have racked up dangerously Nervously, I consult the MyDrinkaware dashboard. 'In the last seven days you have had 36 drinks – that's 62.26 units,' it informs me. I'm horrified. I knew it was going to be a bit over the 'safe' 14 units. But the health implications are clear. Apart from the cancer risk, ONS figures show alcohol-related deaths from liver disease are rising substantially (the highest is women in their 50s). 'When you drink a unit of alcohol, your liver has to pause the 500 vital functions in the body, encompassing tasks like filtering the blood, producing bile, and metabolising nutrients, just to get alcohol out of the system as quickly as possible,' Dr Curran of London's Reborne Clinic tells me. 'These functions are crucial for digestion, detoxification, and overall health.' He doesn't drink himself. 'I don't want to come across as judgy, but 14 units may still be too much in women who are struggling with hormone imbalance, excessively high oestrogen in particular. Alcohol can exacerbate a propensity for oestrogen access, which in turn can fuel uncontrolled proliferation in oestrogen-sensitive tissues or tumours such as breast, ovarian and endometrial (lining of womb). Alcohol metabolism also depletes nutrients required for the effective processing and elimination of oestrogen from the body.' I naively believed I was cutting back on booze. And yes, last week was a perfect storm (like Christmas in May). Life chez Hoggard is normally far less exciting. But the truth is even a 'modest' night is over my daily allowance. 'If it's a strong wine, 250ml can be three units,' warns Richard Piper of Alcohol Change UK (who also have a Try Dry app). He agrees the 14 unit recordation is fairly arbitrary. 'There's 200 medical conditions caused by alcohol. For every single medical condition, there is a different risk chart. So how do you alight on a single number above which things are higher risk?' He'd prefer us to adopt the Canadian system where we talk about zero risk (not drinking), very low risk, low risk, moderate risk and high risk. Very low risk would be two to three units a week. He doesn't think consumers should take all the blame, however. It's an addictive substance. 'Let's keep the pressure on government and on the industry,' says Dr Curran. 'It's one of the wealthiest profit-making industries on the globe. Most of the drinks we consume are actually produced by multi-global companies not based in the UK. So it's UK consumers paying the price for other countries' profits. 'Alcohol is more addictive than cocaine, more harmful than tobacco, but we're not told that story, and it's so normalised in our society that we reject that message. But the science behind the cancer risk has really developed over the last 20 years. The challenge for us as an organisation is how to tell that story, without being alarmist, and how to support people to just put alcohol back where it needs to be, as a dangerous product that's also pleasurable. In a democratic society, we're not for banning stuff. Our position is it's up to you to choose.' I'm determined to cut back and have started ordering alcohol-free beers when out with friends (they're so good now I can barely tell the difference). On a seaside jaunt, I don't drink and the drive-back at 5am is surprisingly bearable with a clear head. I won't deny it's been a shaming wake-up call. Just typing the figures into an app makes it harder to ignore the truth. 'Cut one unit, two units out a week, and your chances of living a longer, healthier life increase,' says Richard Piper. Top tips Check the alcohol volume Not all wines are equal. You can find the ABV on the labels of cans and bottles, sometimes written as 'vol' or 'alcohol volume', or ask bar staff about particular drinks. For example, wine that says '12% ABV' or 'alcohol volume 12%', means 12 per cent of the volume of that drink is pure alcohol. A large glass of ABV 12 per cent such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, is three units. Build in more alcohol-free days It's recommended to have two to three alcohol-free days each week, ideally consecutively. Abstaining from alcohol for two to three weeks can significantly reduce liver inflammation and improve overall health, especially for those with fatty liver. 'Even in your 50s and 60s you can have a huge impact by reducing the amount of alcohol you drink,' says Debbie Shawcross, professor of hepatology and chronic liver failure at King's College London. Don't drink on an empty stomach 'The worst thing you can do is drink without food,' says Prof Shawcross. 'You very quickly get drunk and the liver becomes overloaded because it can only break down alcohol at roughly one unit of alcohol an hour. But if you have a meal that keeps alcohol in the stomach for longer, it slows absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream.' Measure your drinks Home spirit measures are notoriously difficult to judge, so use a measure (25cl of standard 40 % spirits is one unit). Most people think they are having a double, but it is more like a triple, says Salim Khakoo, professor of hepatology at the University of Southampton. Know your triggers Is it being in a bar? At home watching TV? When you socialise with certain friends? Identify any potential weak spots and find an alternative. Have something fun planned for the morning after a night out If you know you have something to look forward to the next morning, then you're more likely to want to avoid a hungover, and drink less as a result. Downsize your glass sizes (especially when at home) Studies show it helps you drink less, says DrinkAware. Put ice in wine This will dilute the strength, but still gives the taste. Or add a mixer, like soda, to make it a spritzer. Follow the 20-minute rule Take a 20-minute break after you've finished one drink before buying or pouring your next. Your craving will often go away or soften. Go dry at events associated with alcohol Identify one thing you would normally do with alcohol – picnic, festival, restaurant – and do it without alcohol, advises Richard Piper. 'What people find is it's just as fun, sometimes more so, particularly with gigs, where you find yourself queuing to get the beer, and then queuing for the toilet. Say to yourself: 'I did pay quite a lot of money. I want to be fully present'.'
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Flintshire Council warns hospital discharge support won't solve issues
Following an inquiry into patient flow at Welsh hospitals, local authorities across Wales are currently working on bids for a share of the fund to try to get patients out of hospital and back into their homes or community care faster. But Flintshire's Chief Officer for Social Services Craig Macleod told the authority's Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the fund was not a silver bullet to cure the NHS of bed-blocking delays. "We have had formal notification that there will be a recurring grant to support timely hospital discharge from the Welsh Government, " he said. "We are currently working on a plan as to how we will use that funding. "We recommend that cabinet welcomes the grant as a step towards supporting discharge, however it will not resolve the issues relating to hospital discharge." One of the criticisms of the Welsh Government approach by Flintshire County Council was its inquiry focused on patient flow rather than patient outcomes. Deputy leader of Flintshire County Council Cllr Richard Jones said: "When you read the report from the ADSS (Association of the Director of Social Services Cymru) they say: 'We believe the terms of reference of the enquiry reflect an overly narrow perspective on the issue - one which prioritises hospital process over the fundamental goal of enabling individuals to live well within the community. "We believe there should be a greater emphasis on patient outcomes rather than just patient flow. That is the same approach we have towards care as an authority." Cabinet supported the work to capitalise on the additional funding and the review of the state of discharge services, which see residents continue to face significant challenges at all three general district hospitals serving Flintshire - Ysbyty Gwynedd, Wrexham Maelor and the Countess of Chester. "Hospital discharge delays should be viewed in terms of causes and context ensuring there is no loss of focus on the individual," said Cllr Christine Jones, Deputy Leader of Flintshire Council and Cabinet Member for Social Services and Wellbeing. "The reality is being in a hospital bed when there is no clinical need is not only contributing to the complex pressures within the NHS but it is also not in the best interests of the patient. "The regional partnership board will now take a lead role in producing a North Wales update to the original Audit Wales recommendations around hospital discharge. Flintshire will feed into that report in an effort to deliver improvements to discharge processes for all."
