What should COVID-19 treatment be like at home? The most important recommendations of the expert

The number of Poles infected with the coronavirus is growing rapidly, and the number of cases of infection with Omikron is increasing. The vast majority of infections are mild and – if the doctor decides so – we can treat ourselves at home. What should the therapy look like? Dr hab. n. med. Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas, a national consultant in the field of family medicine, issued a position on this matter.

1. National consultant in the field of family medicine dr hab. n. med. Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas issued a position on the management of patients infected with coronavirus treated at home
2. The specialist reminds that any suspicion of COVID-19 should result in referring the patient for a test (antigenic or PCR), and when the result is positive – determining the place of treatment (home / hospital / isolation room)
3. As for the treatment itself (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) – we follow the doctor’s recommendations
4. The treatment of COVID-19 outside the hospital includes, inter alia, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and antitussive drugs
5. Non-pharmacological treatment usually consists of rest, hydration and respiratory gymnastics
6. Medicines not recommended in the home treatment of COVID-19 include, among others system steroids. What other measures should not be used and when is hospitalization indicated?
7. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

The most important thing: get a coronavirus test. What’s next?

The fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Poland is gaining momentum. The number of cases is growing rapidly, including infection caused by Omikron (currently it accounts for 42% of all sequenced samples). The observations show that runny nose, headache, sore throat and fatigue are the five main symptoms reported by patients with both Delta and Omikron infections. This poses a risk of confusing SARS-CoV-2 infection with a common cold (more about symptoms in the article: Delta vs Omikron. What are the differences in symptoms? [TALLY])

In this situation, the most important thing is to do the test – you need to know what you are dealing with. “Any suspicion of COVID-19 should result in referring the patient to a test (antigenic or PCR)” – emphasizes the national consultant in the field of family medicine, Dr. n. med. Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas in the position paper issued on December 21, 2021 on the management of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 during isolation at home.

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If the result turns out to be positive, the doctor agrees with the patient on the place of isolation: home or hospital (or isolation room). In the case of mild symptoms (and these fortunately constitute the majority, as we read in the document – nearly 85%), it is home isolationand consultation may take the form of teleporting. However, when there are any doubts as to the patient’s condition, the doctor should personally examine the patient and, on this basis, decide what to do next.

1. Read: More and more infections among college students and staff

If the treatment takes place at home, you can use telepaths, personal visits in the office or home visits of the doctor – depending on the patient’s condition.

The rest of the text is below the video.

COVID-19 treatment at home. What medications can be used?

As for the treatment itself (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) – we follow the doctor’s recommendations. Let’s remember that there are no “home remedies” for COVID-19. There is also no evidence that taking vitamin C supplements is useful in this situation. It has also not been confirmed that vitamin D or zinc can be considered medicinal supplements in this situation.

As we read in the document, in most cases, coronavirus infection is mild and requires only rest, hydration (water, soup, fruit juices, hot tea with lemon – ed.) And symptomatic treatment are a good choice. Often, breathing gymnastics is also recommended. What medications can be used?

In the case of fever, severe muscle pains, headache, the doctor recommends taking painkillers and / or anti-inflammatory drugs (paracetamol, NSAIDs) as in the case of other viral infections. The statement states that it would not be proven that any of the preparations had a better effectiveness or influence on the course of COVID-19.

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When your cough is severe, for example, it makes it difficult to talk or sleep, your doctor may consider taking cough suppressants.

It is recommended to continue the current pharmacological treatmentincluding taking glucocorticosteroids for indications other than COVID-19, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antihypertensive drugs, antiplatelet and anticoagulants.

COVID-19 treatment at home. What drugs should not be used?

Routine use of antibiotics is not recommended – they do not work against SARS-CoV-2. Their unjustified use increases the risk of fungal infections. Systemic glucocorticosteroids (GCs) should not be used in the outpatient treatment of COVID-19.

The national consultant recalls that an increased risk of thromboembolism is observed in the course of COVID-19. Taking this into account, in home therapy The inclusion of aspirin or antiplatelet drugs in the treatment is not recommended, and routine use of anticoagulant prophylaxis is not recommended.

When home treatment for COVID-19 is not enough. Alarm signals

However, in the course of COVID-19, there are situations where home treatment is not enough and you need to seek medical help (in the event of a sudden deterioration of health, we call the emergency number 999 or 112, informing the dispatcher that we have a coronavirus or suspect an infection).

A national consultant in family medicine recalls that Patients staying in home isolation require constant monitoring of their health due to the nature of the disease, during which their condition may deteriorate rapidly.

Monitoring of the health of a patient with COVID-19, who does not require hospital treatment, is possible thanks to the DOM (Home Medical Care) program. As we read on nfz.gov.pl: «The pulse oximeter comes to you for free. When you turn 55, you automatically qualify for the program and receive a home appliance by mail. If you are under 55, you can order a pulse oximeter online or through a qualification by a GP »(details).

During the consultation, the doctor should also inform the patient how to monitor his health (including temperature measurement, number of breaths, heart rate, saturation). And what to do in the event of a deterioration in health.

The indications for further diagnosis and hospital treatment are:

1. Dyspnoea at rest and difficult to speak, respiratory rate greater than 30 / minute
2. Cyanosis
3. 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
4. Fever above 39 degrees C, lasting for more than 24 hours, impossible to reduce pharmacologically and causing significant weakness in a child or elderly patient
5. Coughing which may make it difficult to breathe or speak freely and is not relieved by antitussive treatment
6. Pain in the chest
7. A drop in blood pressure below 90/60 mmHg (if the patient is usually higher)
8. Changes in consciousness and behavior (e.g. difficulty waking the patient, disturbing changes in behavior and speech, loss of consciousness).

You may be interested in:

1. Those infected with Omikron have already contracted COVID-19. New findings of British scientists
2. What gives you super resistance to COVID-19? Two ways. Scientists studied which one was more effective
3. Omicron in the vaccinated. Who will attack and who will avoid him? There is an answer

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