With the 4th of July being about a week away plenty of Minnesotans will be heading out to the woods for some camping, or simply taking a hike while spending time away from work. With Minnesotans taking the plunge into the woods can only mean finding ticks after emerging. With ticks comes the chance to contract Lyme Disease, so how can you tell if you may have Lyme Disease or COVID-19 as the symptoms are similar. Here are the differences between the two.

For Lyme Disease, some of the people affected will get a red rash that looks like a bulls-eye or target mark around the bite area. Lyme Disease doesn't typically affect the respiratory system causing coughing or difficulty in breathing like COVID-19 has been shown to do. Another symptom that is seen with COVID-19 patients and not with people affected with Lyme Disease is the loss of smell or taste.

The other symptoms of both COVID-19 and Lyme Disease are similar to what someone would see with influenza. Those symptoms are:

  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Body aches

According to Healthline.com "depending on the patient’s symptoms and medical history, their doctor may encourage them to get tested for COVID-19. If they test negative for COVID-19, their doctor may recommend testing for other conditions, including Lyme disease in some cases."

The months of June, July, and August are when we typically see a spike in Lyme Disease cases in the US according to the Center for Disease Control. 

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