COVID awareness
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are a fever, coughing, and breathing problems. Unless you have severe symptoms, you can most likely treat them at home, the way you would for a cold or the flu. Most people recover from COVID-19 without the need for hospital care.
COVID-19 treatment for mild symptoms that can recover at home include:
- Rest. It can make you feel better and may speed your recovery.
- Stay home. Don’t go to work, school, or public places.
- Drink fluids. You lose more water when you’re sick. Dehydration can make symptoms worse and cause other health problems.
- Monitor. If your symptoms get worse, call your doctor right away. Don’t go to their office without calling first. They might tell you to stay home, or they may need to take extra steps to protect staff and other patients.
- Ask your doctor about over-the-counter medicines that may help, like acetaminophen to lower your fever.
In case you or someone you care for has severe COVID-19 symptoms for example, trouble breathing, blue lips or a blue face, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion, excessive drowsiness, call emergency medical services or go to the hospital.
Hospital treatment for COVID-19
Someone who is persistently short of breath may need hospital care. Shortness of breath indicates the lungs are not delivering enough oxygen to the rest of the body; without treatment, oxygen levels may fall and cause organ failure.
Because there is no cure for COVID-19 at this time, hospital care for coronavirus focuses on what’s called supportive care, or treatment to support the body’s vital organs.
If a patient’s condition worsens despite supportive hospital care, the patient may be transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU).