Yes, a runny nose is a recognized COVID-19 symptom. The CDC lists “congestion or runny nose” on its official symptom list, and with current variants, it has become one of the most commonly reported signs of infection. That’s a shift from the early pandemic, when a runny nose was actually rare in COVID cases.
How Common a Runny Nose Is Now vs. Early COVID
Early in the pandemic, a runny nose was considered an unusual COVID symptom. An international consensus study found that anterior rhinorrhea (the medical term for a runny nose) was “very rare” in COVID-19, and when it did occur, it was mild. The hallmark symptoms back then were fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, and loss of smell.
That picture has changed dramatically. Data from the ZOE Health Study, which tracks symptoms reported by people with confirmed positive tests, placed a runny nose as the second most common COVID symptom, right behind sore throat. A blocked nose and sneezing also ranked in the top four. Meanwhile, the “traditional” symptoms like loss of smell, shortness of breath, and fever became much less common. The newer Omicron-lineage variants, including JN.1 and its subvariants, continue to produce a similar symptom profile: sore throat, cough, congestion, fatigue, headache, and muscle aches.
In practical terms, if you catch COVID today, a stuffy or runny nose is one of the symptoms you’re most likely to experience.
COVID Runny Nose vs. Allergies vs. a Cold
Because a runny nose is now so common with COVID, telling the difference between an infection and seasonal allergies (or a plain cold) can be tricky. A few patterns help.
With allergies, nasal discharge tends to be profuse and watery, and itching inside the nose is very common. COVID does not cause nasal itchiness. If your nose, eyes, or roof of your mouth feel itchy, allergies are a much more likely explanation. Sneezing can happen with both, but repeated sneezing fits throughout the day lean toward allergies.
Loss of smell is another useful clue. Allergies rarely cause true anosmia (a complete loss of smell). COVID can, though this symptom is less frequent with recent variants than it was in 2020 and 2021. If you suddenly can’t smell anything and you also have a sore throat or body aches, COVID is worth testing for.
A cold shares the most overlap with current COVID symptoms. Both cause a runny nose, sore throat, and general fatigue. The most reliable way to tell them apart is a rapid antigen test or PCR test. Symptom patterns alone won’t give you a definitive answer.
Runny Nose in Children With COVID
Kids get runny noses constantly, which makes spotting COVID in children especially difficult. A systematic review of pediatric COVID cases found that nasal symptoms (runny nose and nasal congestion combined) appeared in about 11% of children with confirmed infections. Fever was the most common symptom at 47.5%, followed by cough at 41.5%. Nasal symptoms came in third.
The researchers noted that children’s COVID symptoms differ widely from adults’, and that fever and respiratory symptoms alone should not be considered a hallmark of pediatric COVID. Many children had mild or even no symptoms at all. So a runny nose in a child could certainly be COVID, but it could just as easily be one of the many other viruses kids pick up regularly. Testing remains the only reliable way to know.
How Long COVID Nasal Symptoms Last
For a mild to moderate COVID infection, overall recovery typically takes 10 to 14 days, though it can stretch longer depending on the person and the severity of symptoms. Nasal congestion and a runny nose generally fall on the shorter end of that window. Most people find that their nose clears up within the first week, while fatigue and cough can linger longer.
If your runny nose persists well beyond two weeks, it may be worth considering whether something else is contributing, such as allergies flaring at the same time or post-nasal drip that developed during the infection. A runny nose alone, without other COVID symptoms, lasting weeks on end is unlikely to be from an ongoing active infection.
What Helps With a COVID Runny Nose
There’s nothing unique about treating nasal symptoms caused by COVID compared to any other respiratory virus. Saline nasal sprays or rinses help flush out mucus and relieve congestion without medication. Over-the-counter decongestants and antihistamines can reduce stuffiness and drainage, though decongestant nasal sprays should be limited to three days to avoid rebound congestion. Staying hydrated thins mucus and makes it easier to clear. A warm shower or breathing steam from a bowl of hot water can provide temporary relief when congestion feels heavy.
If you test positive, the runny nose itself isn’t a sign of severity. It’s one of the milder symptoms COVID produces, and for most people it resolves on its own as the infection clears.