Viral illness or allergy symptoms?

Symptoms of a viral illness can be similar to the symptoms of allergic rhinitis (congestion or runny nose) and asthma (cough, difficulty breathing and shortness of breath). Managing allergic rhinitis and asthma by using medications prescribed or suggested by your doctor can help you stay at work or children stay at school/childcare rather than being sent home due to unknown viral illness symptoms.

We advise:

• Seeing your GP, allergy specialist or respiratory specialist so that you can be sure you are on the most appropriate and up-to-date preventer and reliever treatment for allergic rhinitis and asthma symptoms. Allergen immunotherapy may be an option to help treat pollen and dust mite allergy.
• Continuing your current allergy treatments to minimise your symptoms. You should also consider talking with your GP about having an effective treatment plan (which may include immunotherapy) for your seasonal allergies and/or asthma before spring. If you have allergic rhinitis all year round, any time is a good time to discuss ongoing treatment and the possibility of allergen immunotherapy with your GP.
• Doing a rapid antigen test that can test for several viruses (not only COVID-19) if you have any symptoms of a viral illness (even if you suspect it’s just your first allergic rhinitis symptoms of the season).
• Consider making an appointment to see your GP if your rapid antigen test results are negative, and you continue to have symptoms even though you are using the medication prescribed by your doctor.

Remember: A negative rapid antigen test might be helpful to reassure yourself, colleagues and teachers that you or your child are not infectious or contagious.