With widespread cases of COVID-19 in Australia and New Zealand, treating allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and/or asthma regularly and correctly is important for the following reasons:

• To avoid hay fever and/or asthma symptoms being mistaken for symptoms due to respiratory infections, including COVID-19. 

• To maintain good health by ensuring that hay fever and/or asthma are well controlled, using nasal sprays, inhalers and other medications as prescribed and directed by the treating doctor.  

• To reduce coughing and sneezing, which can spread respiratory infections (such as COVID-19, colds and influenza).

If a person's hay fever and/or asthma symptoms occur, despite treatments being used regularly and correctly, and their most recent COVID-19 rapid antigen test result is negative (based on testing at least 1-2 times each week, in regions where tests are readily available), they should:

• Be allowed to attend their school, early children's education/care centre, other institution or workplace; and 

• See their doctor as soon as possible to check if their hay fever and/or asthma treatments need to be modified. 

Further information:

www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergic-rhinitis-hay-fever-and-sinusitis

www.allergy.org.au/members/covid-19

This news item was issued on 3 February 2022 and updated on 28 February 2022 by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), the peak professional body for clinical immunology and allergy in Australia and New Zealand.