Dr Hilary has aired some important myth-busting advice for hayfever sufferers worried about taking antihistamines during the coronavirus pandemic.
With peak pollen season only a few weeks away, many are reaching for the antihistamine pills to ward off the itchy eyes and runny noses caused by hayfever.
Right now the UK is in tree pollen season, which triggers hayfever for many, while the peak grass pollen season, which affects most hayfever sufferers in the UK, starts in around six weeks.
It means millions will be coughing, sneezing and trying not to scratch their eyes out as they struggle with hayfever pollen allergies throughout the summer, while covid-19 spreads through the world.
As anyone who battles hayfever symptoms will know, it's difficult to get through the summer without a supply of antihistamine tablets to ward off the worst of the effects.
But there are rumours circulating that hayfever sufferers should avoid taking antihistamines during the covid-19 pandemic because of the way the medicines affect immune systems.
Dr Hilary Jones appeared on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, where he was asked: "Is it true we should avoid antihistamine treatment for hayfever because of the way it affects our immune system, will it make us more susceptible to a greater longer lasting infection of covid-19?"
The former GMTV doctor and Good Morning Britain's in-house medical expert confirmed it is fine to take antihistamines during the pandemic.
He said: "First of all, when people get hayfever, yes it's true that the immune system is over active in producing symptoms of runny nose, sore throat and itchy eyes. However, it's a different kind of immunity, it's the IgE antibody which is affected in hayfever, not IgG and IgM which is the responsible antibody when you are fighting the [covid-19] virus.
"You can carry on taking antihistamines, without worrying that this is making you more susceptible to the virus."
The 66-year-old added some further advice for those whose hayfever is triggered during the coronavirus pandemic.
Dr Hilary said: "What you do need to do with hayfever, however, is to avoid sneezing, especially because if you do carry the virus, it can transmit the virus further in droplets when you sneeze, so sneeze into your elbow, use tissues and etc."
The NHS also advises people to regularly and thoroughly wash their hands to help curb coronavirus.
