Providing care at home for a person sick with COVID-19? Or caring for yourself at home? Understand when emergency care is needed and what you can do to prevent the spread of infection.

1. Treating COVID-19 at Home
Care tips for you
Presented by -
ROHAN JAGDALE
B. Pharm student
YTIP, University Of Mumbai
rohanjagdale235@gmail.com

2. ● Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes
COVID-19.
● In this slide , we look at what to do if a person contracts SARS-CoV-2. We
also discuss how a person can treat their symptoms at home.
● A person can treat a mild case of COVID-19 at home. Although home
treatment will not cure COVID-19, it can help relieve the symptoms a person
is experiencing.
● With the recent surge in the coronavirus cases in India, many hospitals and
medical facilities are struggling to provide beds and necessary resources to
the patients. In such situations, it is important that we learn to treat mild
COVID-19 infections at home, to enable the treatment of severe coronavirus
patients at the hospitals. Just like flu or common cold, with proper measures,
mild COVID can be cured at home. All you need to do is monitor your
symptoms and manage them with the help of medications and at home
remedies.
Introduction

3. ● Fever or chills
● Cough
● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
● Fatigue
● Muscle or body aches
● Headache
● New loss of taste or smell
● Sore throat
● Congestion or runny nose
● Nausea or vomiting
● Diarrhea
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging
from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after
exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
Watch for symptoms

4. Looking after yourself at home
As with other viruses such as colds and flu, taking it easy and looking after
yourself are crucial to your recovery. You should:
▪Drink plenty of fluids. Drink enough water so that your pee is a pale, clear
colour.
▪Avoid alcohol as this will make you more dehydrated. There is also evidence
that people with COVID-19 infection are prone to liver damage, which can be
worsened by drinking alcohol.
▪Get plenty of rest. You should isolate yourself at home if you have any
symptoms of coronavirus, and avoid any strenuous activity whilst you are unwell.
▪Use over-the-counter medicines to treat some of your symptoms.

5. Supplements and immunity boosting foods
While all the above-mentioned tips will definitely help, the need of the
hour is a quick boost to your immunity system to keep it fighting fit. If
you’re concerned whether you are getting the right amount of nutrients
from your diet, consult with your doctor about a supplementation regimen
to boost your immune system. Here are a few common supplements and
superfoods that can help.
● Vitamin C
● Vitamin D
● Yogurt
● Zinc
● Turmeric
● Natural Anti-viral foods

6. Vitamin C
This particular vitamin is a crucial participant in the army of immunity. It helps
prevent the common cold. It acts as a powerful antioxidant and protects against
damage induced by oxidative stress. For severe infections, including sepsis and
acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), high dose intravenous vitamin C
treatment has been shown to significantly improve symptoms in patients.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D supplements have a mild protective effect against
respiratory tract infections. Most people are deficient in
Vitamin-D, so it’s best to consult with a doctor about taking a
Vitamin D supplement to boost immune response.

7. Zinc
It is another nutrient that helps your immune system and metabolism function. An individual
can either take Zinc supplements or inculcate in their diet through cashews, pumpkin seeds,
chickpeas, among others.
Yogurt: To ensure hand hygiene, experts and doctors recommend washing hands with soap
or using an alcohol-based rub, regularly. While hand sanitisers do kick away germs, they
take good bacteria essential in building immunity, as well.
"Yogurt is a natural probiotic and aids in the formation of good bacteria in our body.
Remember, it has to be freshly made. If you have sore throat regardless of the cause,
yogurt might worsen it but for better immunity, you need probiotics so you can resort to
supplements",
Yogurt

8. Turmeric
The golden spice turmeric is known for its anti-oxidant and
anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin, the compound present in turmeric
is a very potent agent and aids in healing of wounds and infections. This
is the reason, it is often suggested to have turmeric milk.
'Most people have it (turmeric) in the wrong way. If you are having haldi
(turmeric), don't have it in water, instead, boil it in the milk and have
the popular turmeric milk. You can also take it with coconut oil and black
pepper',

9. Natural Anti-viral foods
Tulsi leaves, star anise (a spice), garlic, and ginger are some of the natural
anti-virus food items which gives protection from seasonal flu as well. For
boosting immunity and flushing out toxins, a Tulsi drink which can simply be
made by boiling three to four leaves in water.
'You can also take three to four pieces of star anise, give it two to three
boils and have it warm. You can have ginger and amla juice. You can also
have garlic; take one garlic clove, mash it, and expose it to air for five
minutes so that its compound called allicin which has potent medicinal
properties gets activated and then have it',

10. What not to take
people not to take any treatment for COVID-19 without the
recommendation of a healthcare professional.
People have died or experienced serious harm after taking unapproved
products to treat COVID-19.
One example includes non-pharmaceutical chloroquine phosphate, which is a
chemical that people use for home aquariums.
Pharmaceutical chloroquine phosphate will not treat COVID-19, and a
person should only ever take it under the guidance of a healthcare
professional.
People should also avoid taking the following to treat COVID-19:

11. Antibiotics
SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is a virus, and therefore
antibiotics will not treat a coronavirus infection.
Sometimes, people with COVID-19 develop other infections. Even then,
it is important to take the right type of antibiotic.
People should also avoid taking expired antibiotics or antibiotics
prescribed to someone else. The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA)Trusted Source state that expired or old antibiotics may lead to
more serious illnesses and antibiotic resistance.

12. Herbal medicines
There is no evidence that herbal remedies can treat COVID-19. These drugs
may also interact dangerously with some prescription medications.
Prescription drugs
People should not take someone else’s prescription drugs even if a doctor
prescribed those drugs to treat COVID-19 in someone else.
Only a few prescription drugs and medical products may help with
COVID-19, and those are usually only safe for people to have under the
supervision of a healthcare professional.

13. Protecting others if you're ill
If you're ill with COVID-19, you can help prevent the spread of infection with the COVID-19 virus
● Stay home from work, school and public areas unless it's to get medical care.
● Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing services or taxis.
● Stay isolated in one room, away from your family and other people, as much as possible. This
includes eating in your room. Open windows to keep air circulating. Use a separate bathroom, if
possible.
● Avoid shared space in your home as much as possible. When using shared spaces, limit your
movements. Keep your kitchen and other shared spaces well ventilated. Stay at least 6 feet (2
meters) away from your family members.
● Clean often-touched surfaces in your separate room and bathroom, such as doorknobs, light
switches, electronics and counters, every day.
● Avoid sharing personal household items, such as dishes, towels, bedding and electronics.
● Wear a face mask when near others. Change the face mask each day.
● If wearing a face mask isn't possible, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow when
coughing or sneezing. Afterward, throw away the tissue or wash the handkerchief.
● Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based
hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

14. Home treatment

15. Home treatment
A number of home treatments may help manage symptoms of COVID-19.
These treatments do not cure the disease, but they may make a person more
comfortable.
A healthcare professional can advise a person on how to treat their symptoms.
However, the health professionals recommend:
▪getting plenty of rest
▪remaining hydrated
▪taking over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as acetaminophen

16. Fever, aches, and pains
A person can take acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,
such as ibuprofen, as they can help relieve fever and ease muscle aches
and pains.
A person should also ensure that they drink plenty of fluids to help prevent
dehydration.
Initially, some people were concerned that ibuprofen might worsen
COVID-19. However, there is no scientific evidenceTrusted Source to
support this claim.

17. Cough
Coughing is the body’s way of trying to clear the airways.
The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) advise that people with a cough avoid
lying on their back. Instead, they should sit up or lie on their side.
To help ease coughing, a person can try the following:
▪drinking plenty of water or warm beverages to soothe the throat, prevent dehydration,
and thin the mucus
▪sucking on cough drops
▪using a humidifier at night
Some people may also find relief by breathing in steam. To do this, they can sit in the
shower or on the bathroom floor with a hot shower running.

18. Shortness of breath
The NHS note that feeling breathless can be a sign of a more severe
SARS-CoV-2 infection.
If a person is feeling breathless, they should try to remain calm. Shortness of
breath is a symptom that can be frightening, but panicking can cause
hyperventilation, which can make it worse.
People experiencing shortness of breath should continue focusing on their
breathing. It might also help to keep the room cool.

19. The health professionals also suggest doing the following:
▪slowly inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, keeping
the lips close together
▪sitting in a chair with a long, straight spine
▪relaxing the shoulders and avoiding rounding the upper back
▪leaning forward slightly and placing the hands on the knees for support.
Some evidence suggests that lying on the stomach might help people get
more oxygen. This is because lying on the front of the body can stop the
heart and stomach from pressing down on the lungs. This then results in
the air sacks being able to fully inflate.

20. There are four positions a person can try:
Lie on the front of the body with the head turned to one side. Tuck both
arms under the chest and shoulders.
A person can also use additional pillows under the shins to provide support to
the hamstrings and toes.
Position 1
Position 2
Lie on the front of the body with the head turned to one side.
Turn the arms out and up next to the head.
Place a pillow under the belly.

21. Position 3
Lie on the front of the body with your head turned to one side and the
leg on the same side bent at 90 degrees.
A person can support the leg with a pillow or blanket and place the arms
wherever they feel most comfortable.
Position 4
Lie on the side and place a pillow under the torso and
knees.

22. If you are treating coronavirus at home there are two essential equipments that are
required – one is pulse oximeter and another one is thermometer. According to
doctors, both needs to be used twice a day by the patient and records need to be
tracked.
First of all understand, even if you have COVID – do not panic. Once you are
diagnosed with COVID, do lot of breathing exercises to keep your lungs healthy and
take a lot of steam. You can do normal activities as well until unless you have the
warning signs like shortness of breath and low oxygen levels.
Those patients who are having severe respiratory symptoms with oxygen levels going
below 90 and 80 per cent only need to take an added oxygen supply. Don’t panic and
take extra oxygen, thinking that will help. It won’t.
Treating COVID At Home – Equipments To Keep
Handy

23. Doctors recommend few essentials steps for patients treating their illness at home:
1. Drink a lot of fluids
2. Wash your hands with soap and water frequently
3. Triple layer of mask, which needs to be discard after 8 hours after disinfection
4. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces as well
5. Avoid day-time naps, don’t stay in bed except for sleeping
6. Keep a doctor’s number handy just incase of any emergency
7. Steam inhalations and warm gargles are also recommended
What You Must Do – Few Essential Steps To Treat
COVID-19

24. There are some of the red flags which patients need to keep in mind to report to
their doctors and perhaps that’s the time when they need to look for
hospitalisation:
1. Dip in oxygen level – If your oxygen meter goes below 92 per cent
2. If you have slurred speech
3. If you have weakness in your limbs – something that has gone up suddenly as
compared to past few days
4. If you have difficulty in breathing
5. If you have pain and difficulty in your chest
6. And if you see discolouration of your lips/face, sometimes in your nails and
fingers
Red Flags To Look Out For

25. According to doctors the best practice for self-isolation while living with
the family is when you have a separate room with a separate bathroom
and the room should have enough ventilation. It is recommended that
patient should not share vessels, linen or other personal use items with
any member of the family while treating Covid-19 at home.
Only one person in the family should be allotted as a caregiver, who will
always have double mask on or an N95 and that person should maintain at
least 1 metre distance when catering to them or looking after the patient
at all times.
Self-Isolation When Living With Other People – Things
To Know

26. To care for yourself, follow these steps:
● Maintain a daily routine, including showering and getting dressed.
● Take breaks from COVID-19 news, including social media.
● Eat healthy meals and stay hydrated.
● Exercise.
● Get plenty of sleep.
● Avoid excessive use of alcohol and tobacco.
● Stretching, breathe deeply or meditate.
● Focus on enjoyable activities.
● Connect with others and share how you are feeling.
Caring for yourself can help you cope with stress. It will also help
you be able to support your loved one's recovery.

27. Recovery
To further support recovery, a person should drink plenty of fluids and
rest as much as possible.
The World Health Organization (WHO) state that most people typically
recover after 2–6 weeksTrusted Source.
However, some people may experience long-term effects of COVID-19,
also known as long COVID or long-haul COVID.
Symptoms can include

28. Symptoms can include
● muscle weakness
● low-grade fever
● extreme fatigue
● difficulty sleeping
● headaches
● lapses in memory
● diarrhea
● vomiting
● loss of taste and smell
● sore throat
● shortness of breath
● heart palpitations

29. When can you see others again?
If a person has been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, they
need to stay at home and self-isolate for 14 days since the last exposure.
The following time frames before seeing other people, and they urge that a
person must experience all of the following before seeing others:
▪10 days since their symptoms first appeared
▪if they have had 24 hours with no fever, without the use of medications to
reduce the fever
▪other symptoms of COVID are improving

30. Summary
People can treat mild cases of COVID-19 at home. They should
ensure that they remain hydrated, get plenty of rest, and take OTC
medications to reduce fever and pain.
If a person is experiencing shortness of breath, they should try to
remain calm and try different positions to make it easier to breathe.
If the shortness of breath is persistent or worsens, they should seek
medical attention.

31. Reference
❖ https://patient.info/news-and-features/covid-19-how-to-treat-coronavirus-at-
home
❖ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/treating-
covid-19-at-home/art-20483273
❖ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/coronavirus-home-remedies#gene
ric-home-treatment
❖ https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-home-
care-for-families-and-caregivers
❖ https://www.goodrx.com/blog/coronavirus-treatments-on-the-way/
❖ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/care-for-someone.
html