BY SANDRA GUY

The spring allergy season has started early, leading to fear and concern about allergy sufferers’ coughing, sniffling and itchy eyes.

Experts say it’s important to understand how allergies to increased tree pollen differ from the symptoms of COVID19.

The sneezing and runny nose that accompany allergies are rarely a sign of COVID19, according to the AARP.

The main symptoms of coronavirus are a fever, a dry cough, and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The symptoms also tend to appear two to 14 days after exposure.

So how can allergy sufferers ease their symptoms — and ward off anxieties?

Natural solutions include:

• Be vigilant about dusting and cleaning your home, and use blinds and curtains to keep dust at bay.

• A sinus rinse, such as with a Neti pot, at the start and end of the day can help clean out allergens. It’s best to use distilled water, sterilized water or tap water that has been boiled, and then cool when used.

• Explore herbs such as butterbur, a European shrub extract, and quercetin, a nutrient found in apples, onions and black tea, which act similarly to antihistamines. Make sure any butterbur product is labeled “PA-free,” so that it contains no pyrrolizidine alkaloids — chemicals that can cause serious illness.

• Try mixing one or two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a glass of water to help break up mucus.

• Avoid eating or drinking inflammatory boosters such as sugar, alcohol and fried foods.