How to treat COVID-19 at home? Current recommendations of Polish experts

National experts in family medicine, infectious diseases and anaesthesiology and intensive care, in collaboration with the Medical Council, developed a joint position on the treatment of coronavirus at home. There was an item on the list regarding the use of amantadine and chloroquine.

1. The list of current recommendations for treating COVID-19 at home is 17 points
2. It includes, among others information on the use of specific drugs
3. The joint position was signed by, inter alia, Professors Horban, Simon, Flisiak and Pyrć
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5. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

The current position of Polish experts on the treatment of COVID-19 at home

Most coronavirus patients do not require hospitalization, only treatment at home. The current position of Polish experts is to make it easier for doctors to select the appropriate form of therapy in the case of patients who do not require transport to the hospital due to COVID-19.

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The list prepared by Polish experts was published at the beginning of February 2021. The authors of the position are: dr hab. Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas (national consultant in the field of family medicine), prof. dr hab. Andrzej Horban (national consultant in the field of infectious diseases), prof. dr hab. Radosław Owczuk (national consultant in the field of anesthesiology and intensive care), as well as members of the Medical Council, including prof. Krzysztof Simon, Krzysztof Pyrć and Robert Flisiak.

How to treat COVID-19 at home?

Experts emphasize that a patient treated at home for COVID-19, especially if he is at risk of a severe course of the disease, should be constantly monitored. This is associated with the risk of sudden deterioration of health that requires prompt hospitalization. As for the mild course of COVID-19, specialists recommend the use of symptomatic medications, as with other acute respiratory viral infections.

1. The use of dexamethasone in patients with COVID-19 treated at home is not recommended.
2. Home oxygen therapy is not recommended in the acute phase of the disease due to the risk of a sudden deterioration of the life-threatening condition. The need for oxygen therapy in the treatment of COVID-19 is an absolute indication for hospitalization.
3. The use of inhaled corticosteroids in the treatment of COVID-19 is not recommended – no data are available on the efficacy.
4. The use of potentially antiviral drugs with questionable or proven ineffectiveness in the treatment of COVID-19, including amantadine, chloroquine, hydrochloroquine, lopinavir / ritonavir, azithromycin, is not recommended.
5. The inclusion of antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs in the treatment of COVID-19 in patients staying at home is not recommended, unless other indications other than coronavirus infection appear.
6. The use of other medications, including ACE inhibitors and statins, is not recommended for the treatment of COVID-19 disease.
7. It is recommended to continue without changing the current pharmacological treatment, including: glucocorticosteroids – also inhaled – for indications other than COVID-19, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antihypertensive drugs (including ACE inhibitors), statins, antiplatelet and anticoagulants.
8. It is recommended to use antipyretic drugs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or paracetamol are the most effective) in the case of a fever above 38,5 degrees C.
9. There are no data on the superiority of individual NSAIDs over others. There is also no evidence that they are harmful.
10. It is recommended to maintain a fluid supply appropriate to body temperature, but not less than 2. ml per day. In patients with chronic heart failure and chronic renal failure, self-monitoring of diuresis, the severity of edema and daily body weight measurement are recommended.
11. The use of antibiotics in COVID-19 disease is justified only in people with chronic inflammatory diseases with infection (e.g. COPD), immunosuppressed or immunodeficient from other causes, and in chronic lower respiratory tract infection (> 14 days) with features bacterial infection – e.g. the appearance of purulent sputum.
12. It is recommended to use antitussive drugs in patients with severe cough (making it difficult to talk and sleep). In severe cases, the use of preparations containing codeine can be considered.
13. There are no reliable data on the impact of vitamin D use on the risk of infection and the course of COVID-19 disease. Due to the widespread deficiency of vitamin. D in the population – especially in autumn and winter – and a low risk of complications, it is recommended to use a supplementary dose of vitamin. D up to 2000 IU per day in adults (up to 4000 IU in people over 75 years of age), in accordance with the recommendations for supplementation of this vitamin in the Polish population.
14. There is no reliable data on the effectiveness of other drugs and dietary supplements in treating COVID-19, including vitamin C and zinc.
15. It is recommended that blood pressure is measured regularly in COVID-19 patients over the age of 65 and in all patients treated for hypertension and heart failure.
16. It is recommended to monitor arterial blood oxygen saturation with a pulse oximeter in all patients with dyspnea at rest, especially those over the age of 60.
17. It is recommended that the patient be referred to hospital if the following circumstances arise:

1. Dyspnoea at rest making it difficult to speak, breathing rates greater than 30 per minute
2. Cyanosis or hypoxemia – arterial blood oxygen saturation measured with a pulse oximeter <94%. (in patients with chronic respiratory failure - eg COPD, pulmonary fibrosis - SpO2 <88%). Hypoxemia is an indication for hospitalization, regardless of the subjective feeling of dyspnea.
3. Fever above 39 degrees Celsius – especially persisting for more than a day and causing great weakness in a middle-aged or elderly patient.
4. Coughing that makes it difficult to breathe or speak freely
5. Chest pain
6. A drop in blood pressure below 90/60 mmHg (if the patient usually has higher blood pressure)
7. Changes in consciousness and behavior – difficulty in waking the patient, disturbing change in behavior and speech, difficult or impossible contact with the patient, loss of consciousness.

Always remember to disinfect your hands, both during illness and prophylactically. You can use antibacterial gels for disinfection, e.g .:

1. with the olive scent of Naturaphy,
2. Naturaphy lavender scent,
3. with the scent of Naturaphy forest fruits,
4. Naturaphy Melon Fragrance.

In turn, for surface disinfection, we recommend Spray – 75% alcohol by Blux from Naturaphy.

Also read:

1. Why does the coronavirus attack in waves and how to prevent them? The virologist has no doubts
2. As the temperature rises, the number of COVID-19 cases drops
3. Five genes that influence your risk of dying from COVID-19
4. More and more countries are introducing the obligation to wear FFP2 masks
5. South African strain of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. What do we know about him? [WE EXPLAIN]

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