It’s the perfect storm. The new Covid 19 Omicron variant is surging as cold season hits during flu season as Cedar Fever blooms into season. Good grief, Charlie Brown, when does it end?
That predictable annual Texas tradition of Central Texas’ Ashe Juniper trees offering up their pollen is almost upon us.
Get ready.
If you are one of those who in past years has gotten congested with sinus misery every mid-January through mid-March you are likely a cedar pollen person, and your time has almost arrived.
Mid-January is regarded as the start of the season, but given the unseasonably hot spell we are going through the trees might have their timing off so get ready now.
Baylor College of Medicine allergy specialist Dr. David Corry says jump on the daily antihistamine regimen. “This tree sheds an absolutely enormous amount of pollen,” he tells KTRH News. How do you know if you have Covid or allergies? Well, this is year three for Covid so if you haven’t figured it out now you might not understand, but the symptoms are different.“Omicron can produce fever, often high fever, and that is distinctly uncommon with allergies of any kind. We call it Cedar Fever, but in fact fever is very, very uncommon, and rare even.”
You get congested, either take a steroidal nasal spray like Flonase or pop a daily antihistamine, as your physician directs. If you are not seeing an effect after a couple days, you may have a cold, or flu, or Covid. Antihistamines will not treat those and your symptoms will persist. If your nose dries up, you most likely have a case of Cedar Fever. Stay on the antihistamines until mid-March.
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