The extent of potential damage COVID-19 can cause on the lungs and long-term damage can depend on whether a person is vaccinated. A Maryland radiologist wants people to see what he sees in COVID-19 patients, hoping to move the unvaccinated to get vaccinated.Dr. Omer Awan, who is the associate vice chair of education in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, wants the public to understand and see the difference for themselves."There is a dramatic difference in chest X-rays we see in patients that have been fully vaccinated who test positive for COVID-19 and those who are not vaccinated," Awan said. Awan showed sister station WBAL computed tomography images of a vaccinated COVID-19 patient and compared it to images showing unvaccinated lung damage."You can see in the vaccinated individual, much of the lung is black, and that's a good thing because the black demonstrates air," Awan said.It was a much different story in the lung of an unvaccinated person."The burden of disease or the burden of infection is much more pronounced in an unvaccinated individual versus a vaccinated individual," Awan said. Tracking the omicron surgeWhen am I contagious if infected with omicron?CDC study: Vaccination protects against COVID hospitalization significantly more than prior infection Biden administration to give away 400 million N95 masks. Here's what you need to know CDC moves 22 new destinations into its highest-risk level for travel due to omicronAwan said the symptoms of a vaccinated person are milder than in an unvaccinated person."Oftentimes, those that are unvaccinated will have full-blown shortness of breath. They may require oxygen therapy. There's a higher propensity for them to go into the ICU," Awan said.Awan said he hopes the images will change minds."If you see images, you can see clearly the proof in vaccination and how effective the vaccines are by looking at a chest X-ray. Oftentimes, that's more helpful from a visual standpoint than just hearing people spit out statistics," Awan said.

With the arrival of fall and another round of seasonal allergies, doctors are again warning about confusing an allergic reaction with a COVID-19 infection.Dr. Casey Mabry, with Ascension St. Agnes Health in Maryland, said irritating allergy symptoms may linger, but the causes behind them -- summer vs. fall -- differ."It's hard to prevent allergies, but you can definitely limit your exposure," Mabry said. "Spring and summer allergies tend to be grass and flowers while the trees are blooming. The fall is a little bit different. It tends to be dust and mold."Now, add to the mix COVID-19 with symptoms like coughing, congestion and feeling generally under the weather all crossing over.But there's one key difference."Allergies will never cause a fever. If you have a fever, you can't blame that on your allergies. Please get COVID tested," Mabry said.Mabry said another way to tell is to be honest with yourself: Are the symptoms you're experiencing something you've seen before or something new?"If you have brand new allergies this year, it's probably not allergies. If you, all of a sudden, are getting congestion and sore throat, and you're not feeling well in the fall, but you've never had that before, maybe get tested," Mabry said.Also, keep in mind that itchiness often goes with allergies, just as a loss of taste or smell goes with COVID-19."It's tricky because we're not seeing as much loss of smell with the delta variant, but still, definitely if you lose your sense of smell, it's definitely much more concerning," Mabry said.Mabry said to stay hydrated and wear face masks to stop the spread of COVID-19. Also, be sure to wash the masks to prevent more allergies this fall.Watch the video above for the full story.