Could It Be a Cold? Or Allergies?
Like flu and COVID-19, colds are also caused by viruses and can be passed to others.
Symptoms of a cold tend to be mild. You may have a runny nose, cough, congestion, and sore throat. But you won’t usually have the aches and fever that are common with COVID-19 and flu. Often, you’ll feel better in a couple of days.
There’s no cure for the common cold. Typical treatments include rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medicines. Some complementary treatments may help with cold symptoms, too. Taking honey may help with nighttime cough for children over 1-year-old. Rinsing your nose and sinuses can help with congestion. You can use a nasal rinsing device. Be sure to only use water that’s been properly processed, such as distilled or boiled water, not tap water. Nasal rinses can bring relief for both colds and allergies.
Allergies can cause a runny nose and sneezing. But they’re not contagious. If your eyes, nose, or ears itch, that also could be an allergy.
Exposure to things like dust, pets, and tree or grass pollen can trigger allergies, which are caused by the immune system overreacting.
Allergy symptoms tend to stop when you’re no longer exposed to the cause. Unless you have asthma, allergies typically do not cause breathing problems. Allergies can be treated with drugs like antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal steroids.
Staying Well
There’s another really important way to fight viruses. “Get your flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine,” Walter advises. They are safe and effective ways to protect yourself and those around you.
Don’t forget to vaccinate your children, too. That is the best way to protect their health. COVID-19 vaccines are now recommended for everyone age 5 years and older.
Flu vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older. Flu vaccines are designed to protect against the four types of flu viruses that scientists expect to circulate that year.
Researchers like Walter and others are working to develop flu vaccines that last longer and offer broader protection against many flu strains.
Masks continue to be an important tool for stopping the spread of respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19. “With the pandemic still ongoing, it’s going to be really important that people wear masks,” Gordon says. Try to avoid crowded indoor situations when possible, too.
What Are the Treatments for COVID-19?
Most people have only mild illnesses and recover from COVID-19 without needing any treatment. If you have mild symptoms, you can try over-the-counter medicines like fever reducers and cough syrups. Even with mild symptoms, it’s still very important to get plenty of rest and to stay hydrated. So far, the FDA has only fully approved one drug to treat COVID-19: the antiviral drug redeliver. The FDA has also allowed doctors to use several other treatments under Emergency Use Authorization. These include:
- Monoclonal Antibody Therapy that can help the immune system respond to COVID-19
Researchers are working to develop more effective treatments for COVID-19. In the meantime, the best way to protect yourself and others is to get vaccinated and wear masks in indoor public spaces.
Wearing your mask in indoor public spaces is also key to stopping the spread of the virus. Masks help protect you and make it less likely that you’ll spread the virus to others. And keep on washing your hands and avoiding crowded spaces.
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