An expert has warned many Brits who think they're suffering from hayfever may be dealing with something far more serious.
As the new Covid FLiRT variant continues to spread across the UK, Brits are being urged to distinguish between typical summer hay fever symptoms and those of the contagious strain of the virus that brought the world to a standstill in 2020. This summer is witnessing an unusual surge in stuffy noses and heavy coughs as high pollen levels collide with the rise in Covid variants, putting the nation's respiratory health in jeopardy.
The FLiRT variant of Covid is believed to be responsible for a 24 per cent increase in hospital admissions related to the virus last month and currently accounts for about 40 per cent of all Covid cases in the UK. This worrying figure rises to 69 per cent of cases in the US.
Meanwhile, the number of people suffering from hay fever in the UK continues to rise each year. The NHS estimates that around 20 per cent of UK residents will experience reactions this summer, following a mid-June report which saw a 147 per cent increase in hayfever sufferers seeking NHS advice, reports the Daily Star.
Those who have previously suffered from hay fever are also reporting more severe symptoms this year. This is making it harder to differentiate between the strikingly similar symptoms of Covid, reports the Express.
Hay fever typically presents as red, itchy or watery eyes, headaches, earaches, loss of smell, as well as sneezing, coughing or experiencing a runny or blocked nose.
Brits are being struck down by a nasty bug with symptoms that mimic hay fever, but it's actually the contagious FLiRT variant causing havoc. The illness presents with fever, persistent coughs, sore throats, stomach upsets, and changes in taste and smell eerily similar to the seasonal allergy.
Rebecca Owen, an exercise and sports lecturer at the University of Derby, explained to the Telegraph: "A lot of people have had Covid-19, and infections can make us more susceptible to allergies."
She added: "They can activate the immune response in what's called mast cell activation syndrome, so while more studies are needed, it could be that some of those who have been infected with Covid may then develop hay fever." However, Owen was quick to point out that only testing can truly tell hay fever apart from FLiRT.