Sort of like that scene at the beginning of Huckleberry Finn where Huck is hiding from someone in the woods and has to be still so he's not found. But then his nose starts itching, and it starts driving him crazy to itch it. Haven't read the book since 1979, and I still remember that scene. Probably because it happened to me when I was playing hide and seek, and the "it" person was only a few feet away. Then my fricking face started itching enough to drive me I-N-S-A-N-E. Your skin can have prickly sensations when you're under stress like that, which causes the feeling of needing to itch. My mom the RN told me what the biochem process is called and how it works, but I can't remember it anymore.
To combat it, distract yourself, occupy your hands with something else, or use some avoidance techniques like bad-smelling lotion or hand sanitizer when you get the urge to itch. After a while, you'll psych yourself into not wanting to touch your face. Sometimes an anti-itch cream, anti-anxiety meds or a beta-blocker can calm down sensations like that. I don't get that stress reaction anymore now that I take a beta-blocker. So if you have any of those, give them a try.
If none of that works, then it may be an allergy or other serious issue that you need to get checked.
The problem, of course, is going to a doctor's office during a pandemic.
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