The #1 COVID Symptom People Are Ignoring Right Now, According to Doctors
Breaking news: COVID-19 is still going around right as allergy season is to starting wreak havoc on our sinuses, giving our upper respiratory systems a double whammy of discomfort. What makes this particularly tricky is that a lot of COVID symptoms overlap with allergies.
Many people who get COVID-19 infections in the spring ignore one particular symptom that they mistake for hay fever: The dreaded sore throat.
It's not too surprising: As someone who sounds like Fran Drescher and Jeezy's cursed love child if I'm outside on a high-pollen count day for 10 minutes, it's easy to dismiss a scratchy throat this time of year as run-of-the-mill allergies. However, if you're in a particularly at-risk group-for example, if you have asthma, a compromised immune system, other pulmonary or heart issues or are on the "older and wiser" side-ignoring a sore throat can be dangerous.
Great. We know!
So how can you tell the difference between trees, grass, flowers, weeds and the general beauty of spring versus a potentially deadly virus making your throat hurt? Grab your lozenges and read on to find out.
Related: 7 Reasons Why You May Have a Sore Throat
Is a COVID Sore Throat Different From a Normal Sore Throat?
The answer is, it depends. A COVID sore throat can be different from sore throats from other causes, but it isn't always.
Dr. Carlos Zambrano, MD, infectious disease specialist at Loretto Hospital in Chicago, tells Parade that some patients are still experiencing the super-painful "razor blade throat" that first emerged last June. The razor blade throat often feels like a sharp, stabbing pain in the back of the throat.
"There has been some anecdotal evidence of a sore throat being more prominent with the recent Stratus strain of COVID," Dr. Michael J. Davis, DO, MPH, infectious disease specialist at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, Ind., explains. "When experienced, the sore throat will be more severe in the early stages of the infection; however, it typically will improve over a few days. It's expected to show a similar trajectory as other cases of viral pharyngitis."
However, most of the time, the sore throat you get with a coronavirus infection will feel pretty much the same as one you'd get from being outside on a pollen-heavy day.
"There are so many variations of sore throats," Dr. Tyler Smith, Ph.D., statistical epidemiologist and professor at National University, explains. "Some report their sore throats are terribly scratchy, burning and cause significant pain from swallowing. Many infectious diseases present the same way, depending on the bug and the person."
"COVID sore throat feels similar to other viral sore throats and usually comes with other symptoms (fatigue, congestion, headache)," Dr. Subhash Verma, MD, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology at University of Nevada, Reno, says. "There is no specific throat sensation that confirms COVID."
When it comes to telling the difference between a COVID sore throat and a run-of-the-mill one, Dr. Steven Goldberg, MD, MBA,primary care physician and chief medical officer at HealthTrackRx, says, "Honestly, not in a way most people can reliably tell apart on their own. A COVID sore throat tends to be a scratchy, raw, irritated feeling-often described as more of a 'dry burn'-and it typically comes alongside other symptoms like fatigue, body aches or congestion."
What makes COVID sore throat particularly sneaky is that it can be the only prominent symptom early on, or it can look exactly like allergies or a common cold, so people dismiss it. "Sore throat has become one of the most common COVID-19 symptoms in the Omicron era-reported in 60% to 86% of infections-yet it's also one of the least specific, meaning it doesn't reliably distinguish COVID-19 from other causes," Dr. Goldberg says.
He added that there is one type of sore throat that you may be able to discern specifically from allergies and COVID, however: Strep throat. He explains, "A strep throat, by contrast, tends to come on very suddenly with severe pain, high fever, swollen and/or tender lymph nodes in the neck and sometimes white patches on the tonsils-and notably, strep usually does not come with cough, runny nose or congestion."
Related: Got a Lingering Cough? Here's When to Worry, According to Doctors
How Can I Tell the Difference Between COVID Symptoms and Seasonal Allergy Symptoms?
"The only way to differentiate COVID symptoms from allergies, influenza, RSV or even
the common cold, is testing, really," Dr. S. Wesley Long, MD, PhD., director of diagnostic microbiology at Houston Methodist Hospital, tells Parade. "There are combination tests for COVID and flu A/B available now over the counter. If they are negative, then you may want to talk to your doctor about your symptoms, which could be allergies, strep throat or a common cold."
That said, there are things to look out for. "Look at the pattern: It is more likely to be COVID if it comes with fever, fatigue, body aches, headache and possible GI symptoms," Dr. Verma adds.
Dr. Goldberg agrees, noting that there are a few symptoms specific to allergies that may help you tell which condition is causing you to feel crummy.
"Beyond testing, there are some practical clues," Dr. Goldberg says. "Allergies tend to cause itchy eyes, itchy nose, sneezing, and clear watery nasal discharge-and they do not cause fever, body aches or significant fatigue."
COVID, even mild cases, more commonly bring fatigue, muscle aches, and sometimes fever or chills alongside the upper respiratory symptoms. "A few rules of thumb: Itchiness (eyes, nose, throat) strongly favors allergies. Body aches, fatigue or fever favor COVID or another infection. New-onset symptoms that feel different from one's usual allergy pattern warrant a COVID test," he emphasizes.
Related: The Common Mistake That Increases Your Risk of Catching COVID Twice This Season
Are COVID Treatments and Allergy Treatments the Same?
Not always. "Sometimes yes, sometimes no,"Dr. Andrew Benin, MD, primary care physician and co-founder of BeninMed, tells Parade. "Symptomatic treatment has some overlap: Rest, hydration, over-the-counter meds if needed, such as Tylenol, ibuprofen, etc. Paxlovid, an anti-viral therapy, is still sometimes prescribed if COVID is caught early in our more high-risk patients."
"There's some overlap in symptom relief, but the treatments aren't identical," Dr. Long agrees. "Simple measures like warm fluids, salt water gargles, rest, hydration and over-the-counter pain relievers can help ease a sore throat, whether it's caused by COVID or allergies. However, the underlying treatments differ, and allergies are typically managed with antihistamines, nasal sprays and avoiding triggers, while COVID, especially in high-risk individuals, may require antiviral medications."
Testing is important when determining how to treat your sore throat, Dr. Snehal Smart, MD, patient advocate at the Mesothelioma Center, advises.
"Some sore throats can be due to Strep A, which is a bacterium, while COVID is a virus. Bacterial infections require antibiotics and viral infections require antivirals," she says. "Antibiotics would not help with COVID. However, over-the-counter pain relievers, hydration and soothing remedies can help manage the symptoms for both COVID and other sore throats."
Further, if you have severe symptoms, please don't try to battle them alone.
Dr. Charles Bailey, MD, medical director for infection prevention at Providence St. Joseph Hospital and Providence Mission Hospital in Southern Calif., urges, "Medical attention should be sought if symptoms such as sore throat or cough are severe or not well-controlled by over-the-counter symptomatic medications (as this might indicate a cause that would benefit from targeted prescription treatment) and especially if shortness of breath or chest discomfort develop, as these symptoms are suggestive of possible pneumonia."
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Sources:
- Dr. Charles Bailey, MD
- Dr. Andrew Benin, MD
- Dr. Joseph Bresee, MD
- Dr. Michael J. Davis, DO, MPH
- Dr. Tyler Smith, Ph.D.
- Dr. Steven Goldberg, MD, MBA
- Dr. S. Wesley Long, MD, PhD.
- Dr. Snehal Smart, MD
- Dr. Subhash Verma, MD, Ph.D.
- Dr. Carlos Zambrano, MD
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This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 7:50 AM.