FEATURE
An Inevitable Collision
When asthma, hay fever, and COVID-19 collide If there’s one thing that’ll ruin those warm, sunny days it’s allergies. And now there’s COVID-19 too. As COVID-19 is likely to be with us for a long time, it’s important to learn about the risks and how to keep allergies under control to prevent asthma episodes. There has never been a more important time to know what is in the air we are breathing. This year’s pollen season could prove more troublesome during the pandemic as tree pollen counts start to surge throughout most of the country. While the spring and summer allergic burden escalates, patients’ immune and inflammatory pathways will be primed for hyper-reactivity as they are compounded by the additional challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prof Jonny Peter, who leads the UCT Lung Institute’s Allergy and Immunology Unit says the coronavirus could make allergy sufferers hyperaware of every sneeze and sniffle as some symptoms overlap. Allergies occur when the body’s immune system sees a substance (also known as an allergen) harmful and overreacts to it. Hay fever is activated by airborne allergens, such as pollen, which leads to a runny and itchy nose, scratchy throat, as well as allergic conjunctivitis in the eyes. While COVID-19 and hay fever share certain symptoms, there are some key differences. In COVID-19, fevers, body aches and headache are common, but these are rarely associated with seasonal allergies. In contrast, an itchy nose or eyes and sneezing signal allergy symptoms and are not common in coronavirus infections. Shared symptoms may include a runny nose or nasal congestion, an intermittent cough, sore throat and fatigue. In asthmatics, very high pollen counts may trigger exacerbations with shortness of breath or difficulty breathing in some individuals.
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Fortunately, coronavirus does not commonly trigger worsening asthma. If your symptoms do worsen, it’s advisable to consult your doctor, especially if you have a known sensitivity to pollen. It’s also likely to have symptoms of both COVID-19 and seasonal allergies at the same time, which will affect each person differently. Some may experience mild symptoms, while others could have more severe symptoms. SA’s pollen seasons vary across the country’s biomes, which is why the UCT Lung Institute is trying to establish pollen monitoring stations in all the provinces. Pollen allergy sufferers who are allergic to both trees and grasses usually have the toughest time in September and October as it’s the time of year when grass and tree pollen overlap. That means a double dose of misery for people who are allergic to both. The grass pollen season can last for up to nine months of the year in certain parts of the country like the highveld, which only comes to an end in May.
GOOD TO KNOW If you are among the 17.5 million South Africans that suffer from nasal allergies, visit pollencount.co.za for the latest pollen counts countrywide to help you better manage your condition during the pollen season. Also visit saaqis.environment.gov.za for real-time information on air pollution across South Africa. Be sure to address your allergies, so you can make the most of this beautiful time of year and enjoy the weather!
