What to Do If You Get COVID: A Symptom-by-Symptom Guide

COVID cases are rising as the weather cools and people return to indoor gatherings and regular school and work schedules.

If you feel under the weather, the first thing you should do is take a COVID test. It’s important to know if you have COVID, even if it’s a mild case. Half of the point of testing is to protect others, Julia Adamian, MD, an internal medicine specialist at NYU Langone Health, told Verywell.

“As much as we are concerned about making sure that we’re getting better, one of the biggest concerns is to make sure that we do not give COVID to others who are at high risk for complications,” Adamian said.

Confirming that you have COVID is also the first step towards getting the correct treatment, Adamian said. As you’re isolating from others and weathering out the infection, you can use over-the-counter medications and home remedies to manage your symptoms.

How to Treat Common COVID Symptoms at Home

Whether you’ve had COVID or not, you’ve probably experienced body aches, congestion, cough, fatigue, fever, headache, and a sore throat at some point in your life. The symptoms mentioned above are the most common mild COVID symptoms.

While many people can safely treat these COVID symptoms at home, older adults and people with underlying conditions may be at a higher risk for complications and should monitor symptoms accordingly.

If you have COVID, inform your primary healthcare provider and discuss your treatment plan. Treatment depends on your underlying health, current medications, and the type and severity of your symptoms. Here are some ways to care for yourself at home when dealing with mild COVID symptoms.

Sore Throat

If a sore throat is your primary COVID ailment, you can try sipping on warm herbal teas with honey, primary care physician Adam Makkawi, DO, told Verywell.

If the tea isn’t cutting it, you can also look for an over-the-counter throat-numbing spray. Makkawi recommends looking for throat lozenges or sprays that contain menthol or benzocaine for a pain-relieving effect.

Over-the-counter medication like Tylenol and Advil can also help relieve throat pain, Adamian said—but for a cost-saving solution, you can gargle with salt water or room-temperature chamomile tea.

Cough

A cough is another common COVID symptom that may be treated at home. Often, a cough is the last symptom to linger as you recover from a respiratory virus, pediatric gastroenterologist Jonathan Miller, MD, told Verywell.

For a dry aching cough, Makkawi said to consider also using a humidifier to add moisture to the air. A dry cough is a hallmark of COVID; cool, dry air can also exacerbate throat dryness. Over-the-counter cough syrups or lozenges containing dextromethorphan can also help suppress coughing, Makkawi added.

Congestion

Nasal congestion is one of the most common side effects of getting COVID, Makkawi said. Especially with the variants circulating in recent years, people with COVID symptoms tend to experience nasal congestion by day three or five of the infection.

Over-the-counter nasal sprays such as Flonase (fluticasone) can relieve nasal congestion, Adamian said, and oral medication like Advil Sinus can work double-duty to alleviate congestion and headaches—which are often related. Just be careful with the nasal spray Afrin (oxymetazoline), which should be used for a maximum of three days.

Addressing nasal congestion can also help relieve other ailments since congestion can lead to difficulty sleeping and decreased appetite. Pressure from sinus congestion and inflammation can cause a headache.

You can also try a saline nasal spray at home, use a neti pot, or take steam showers to manage congestion. Makkawi recommended ginger tea as well, which can help clear the sinuses.

Fever, Chills, and Fatigue

Something as simple as Tylenol (acetaminophen) can do wonders for fever management, Adamian said. A fever can also cause associated symptoms such as fatigue, chills, and body aches—all of which can be treated with ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) or acetaminophen.

Make sure to follow the recommended dosing on the label if you are taking over-the-counter medications to manage COVID symptoms, Makkai said. If your fever persists for several days without improvement, you should speak with a healthcare provider.

It’s also important to get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, and maintain a balanced diet to fuel your body as it recovers from a fever, Makkawai said. Doing so can minimize the fatigue or lethargy from a fever.

“We lose a lot of fluids as insensible losses during an infection, and so it is very important that we replenish our fluids lost with adequate hydration,” he said.

Headaches

Headaches may be caused by underlying congestion, but they’re also a common symptom of any viral infection. You can use over-the-counter pain relievers such as Advil to soothe a COVID-associated headache, Makkawi said.

Resting in a dark, quiet room can also provide some temporary relief from a headache, Makkawi said—and above all, hydration is your friend.

“I cannot emphasize the importance of water and how important it is to drink plenty of water,” Adamian said. “There’s not a specific requirement, but I would say that one of the very good measurements of whether you drink enough water or not is the color of your urine. It should be clear."

Body Aches

Body aches can occur with most viral infections, including COVID, Makkawi said. The same over-the-counter pain relievers you take for a headache or fever can help alleviate these aches.

You can also consider using warm baths or heating pads to provide relief. Makkawi added.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Not everyone can recover from COVID at home, so it’s important to know when to seek medical care from an experienced provider. Adults over 65 have a higher risk of complications from COVID, and children can also be at risk if they are not vaccinated.

Several health conditions can also increase your risk of severe COVID, including:

• Chronic liver, kidney, and lung diseases
• Heart failure or coronary artery disease
• Diabetes (type 1 and 2)
• Conditions affecting your immune function
• Cancer (often treated with immune-suppressing drugs)

People who have not received the full course of the COVID vaccine are also considered high-risk.

If your symptoms get significantly worse or you experience difficulty breathing, you should alert your healthcare provider, Adamian said. This can look like rapid breathing or feel like severe chest discomfort when breathing, Makkawi added.

Other warning signs to look out for include confusion, drowsiness or inability to stay awake, high or persistent fevers, unresponsive to over-the-counter fever reducers, severe dehydration, and bluish-tinged lips or face indicating a lack of oxygen intake, Makkawi said. These warning signs should warrant a visit to the hospital or urgent care.