How to Test for and Treat COVID at Home

Tips on COVID tests and food, drink and treatments to recover faster

When cold-like symptoms start feeling worse than normal, a doctor’s visit or a home COVID test might confirm it — you have COVID. So what do you need to know about the illness now that the pandemic is over?

COVID symptoms have changed

The virus that causes COVID is always changing, and symptoms shift over time with each new variant.

“Cough and sore throat are now the most common symptoms, according to recent large-scale studies,” says family medicine physician Amit Mehta, MD, medical director of community medicine for Geisinger in Centre County. “Gastrointestinal symptoms (such as nausea and diarrhea) and loss of taste or smell are less frequent than in earlier waves of COVID, but still occur.”

Testing at home? Don’t use an expired COVID test.

If you’re testing yourself at home, check the expiration date on your COVID antigen test. Many that were free during the pandemic have expired. If you do have COVID, an expired test may say you don’t. This error, a false negative, is common with expired tests.

Home tests have a shelf life no longer than 24 months, and often much less. You can check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention testing website to see if your test is still effective.

“When in doubt, use a new test or visit a doctor,” says Dr. Mehta.

Contact your doctor

If a home test gave you positive results, tell your primary care physician you have COVID and let them know your symptoms. They’ll likely offer prescription or over-the-counter treatments that may help you.

“It’s critical to contact your doctor,” says Dr. Mehta. “Your doctor knows your history to suggest treatments or medications. You may benefit from antiviral drugs that must be taken within 5 days of falling ill. Or your doctor could prescribe medicine to help with cough or congestion to make you more comfortable.”

To get care quickly, consider visiting urgent care or even using telehealth. Covered by many insurance providers, telehealth lets you get treatment without leaving home. That keeps you from infecting others.

Now that your doctor’s aware, follow these tips on how to treat COVID at home.

Stay hydrated

“If you’re at home treating COVID symptoms, remember to stay hydrated,” Dr. Mehta says. “Drink at least 64 to 70 ounces of water every day.”

To replace lost electrolytes — which can happen through fever-induced sweating, for example — you may want to consider a half-and-half mixture of water and an electrolyte-rich sports drink, such as Gatorade, Powerade or a packet of powdered electrolyte drink such as Liquid I.V.^® You should avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks, which can lead to dehydration.

“If you become dehydrated, it can make your symptoms even worse,” adds Dr. Mehta.

Choose your beverage carefully. Anything marketed with the word “energy” or “energy drink” is likely to contain lots of dehydrating caffeine, even if it’s a sports drink or promotes hydration.

Be sure to eat

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may not feel like eating. But if you don’t eat, you may feel even worse.

“Bland foods like broths, toast and avocado are good choices,” says Dr. Mehta. “But one of the best foods you can eat is chicken noodle soup, or a vegan noodle and broth soup. It’s nourishing, easy to make and easy to digest.”

Rest

Beyond the real fatigue that’s a common COVID symptom, your body needs resources to fight the virus. Plus, it may be harder to breathe. Your achy joints and stuffy head make it hard to get quality sleep. It’s time to baby yourself, stay home in bed and sleep as much as possible. You’ll keep from sharing your illness with others.

Monitor your symptoms

If you do have a fever, acetaminophen (like Tylenol^® ) can help control it — but speak with your doctor about what’s best for you. The same goes for treating a cough.

“Your doctor knows your medical history and can give you the best advice,” says Dr. Mehta.

When you’re recovering at home, monitor your symptoms carefully and contact your provider if they worsen. If possible, monitor your temperature, oxygen levels (using a pulse oximeter) and blood pressure. This information can be very helpful if you're in touch with your doctor's office throughout your recovery.

When should I get emergency medical help for COVID?

If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID, get medical help immediately. Emergency symptoms include:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, worsening cough
Worsening sore throat, headache and fever
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
Bluish lips or skin
Sudden confusion or inability to awaken
Excessive diarrhea, or moderate to severe abdominal pain

In an emergency, call 911 or head to the nearest emergency room.

Protect others in your home

To keep from passing the virus to someone else, take these simple steps:

Isolate yourself. As much as possible, stay away from others in your home. If you can and the weather allows it, open windows. Avoid sharing a bathroom with others if that’s an option. Wear a mask when you’re in shared spaces.
Wash your hands with soap often — and for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer and wipes with at least 60% alcohol. And avoid touching your face and eyes.
Clean common items. Wipe down surfaces like doorknobs, light switches and television remotes with sanitizing wipes. Use disposable dishes and utensils. Wash laundry, bedding and towels in the hottest water they will tolerate. When you feel better, you should throw away your toothbrush if it’s disposable or disinfect it if it’s not.

Protect others at work or school

You can go back to work, school or other normal activities if both of the following are true for the past 24 hours:

Your symptoms are improving
You don’t have a fever, and you haven’t taken medication that brings down fever

For the next 5 days after returning to your normal schedule, wear a mask when you’re indoors and try to stay at least 6 feet way from others. Even if you feel better, you can still spread the virus.

What if I get rebound COVID?

For some, COVID symptoms improve but then return. If you start to feel worse after going back to your normal routine, stay home again until you are free of fever or symptoms. Returning symptoms mean it’s best to stay home for a full 5 days.

“You can always call or message your doctor for advice or guidance as you recover,” says Dr. Mehta. “Sometimes returning symptoms are a sign of a secondary infection that needs treatment.”