Hayfever sufferers warned symptoms could mimic coronavirus as pollen bomb hits UK

Medics are worried the onset of hayfever season will lead to a spike in people assuming their new cough is hayfever, rather than coronavirus.

This could lead to infected people venturing out of the house and spreading covid-19, they fear.

The Royal College of GPs said sufferers should consider whether their symptoms are the same as in previous years.

Dr Jonathan Leach, of the RCGP, said: "For most people who have hay fever it is the same symptoms as they have each year.

"What we are finding is that some patients are saying 'look this is a different thing to what I had last year, could this be coronavirus?' and in that case it might be."

The main symptoms of hayfever, according to the NHS, are:

Sneezing and coughing

A runny or blocked nose

Itchy, red or watery eyes

Itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears

Loss of smell

Pain around your temples and forehead

Headache

Earache

Feeling tired

You should speak to your pharmacist if you have hay fever. They can give advice and suggest the best treatments.

The key symptoms of Covid-19 are a fever, tiredness and a dry cough, according to the World Health Organisation.

People may also experience aches and pains, diarrhea, sore throat, and a runny nose. Patients having difficulty breathing should phone their doctor or use NHS 111.