Managing Covid-19 at Home

Information Courtesy of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital

If you have been tested for COVID-19, or are waiting for test results, please be sure to stay home and isolate yourself away from others. If you have received a positive COVID-19 test, there are things you can do to care for yourself, minimize the spread and help prevent being admitted to the hospital.

  • Stay home and isolate away from others.
  • Rest and stay hydrated.
  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Sanitize frequently touched items.
  • Exercise or walk as tolerated.
  • Practice deep breathing.
  • Spend time outdoors and open windows.
  • Eat foods rich in potassium like bananas, oranges, tomatoes, avocados, and potatoes. (If you have kidney disease, eating foods rich in potassium is not recommended.)
  • Monitor your vital signs and ability to breathe easily. If you become short of breath, please call your primary care provider. If you have access to a pulse oximeter and your saturation levels fall below 90%, seek emergent care.

Once diagnosed with COVID-19, there are some recommended vitamins, minerals and medications that can be taken for the first five days of your illness to help your immune system defend itself from the virus. This guidance is intended for adults only.

  • Baby Aspirin 81 mg Daily (if approved by a physician for DVT in combination with walking)
  • Melatonin 3 mg minimum Start with the lowest dose (3mg daily) and take as tolerated (has shown to improve outcomes)
  • Mucinex/Guaifenesin 600 mg Take twice daily as needed to thin respiratory secretions
  • Omega-3 1-2 g Daily (Used to improve post-COVID syndrome)
  • Quercetin 250-500 mg twice daily for five days (helps the body use Zinc)
  • Vitamin B complex 1 tablet Daily (Used to improve post-COVID syndrome)
  • Vitamin C 500 mg Twice a day for five days (if you have kidney disease or a history of kidney stones, talk to your doctor about reduced dosing before starting)
  • Vitamin D3 2,000 IU Daily for five days (to prevent vitamin deficiency which has been shown to have worse outcomes)
  • Zinc Sulfate 220 mg three times a day for five days (may inhibit coronavirus replication)

Treatment to Consider: Monoclonal Antibodies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for REGEN-COV, a dual antibody combination, for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (at least 12 years of age and weighing ≥ 88 lbs) who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19. Please contact your primary care provider for a referral and more information on where you can get this treatment in your community as it is rapidly changing.

Treatments NOT RECOMMENDED

Ivermectin – The FDA, European Medical Authority, World Health Organization, National Institute of Health, and Merck (the manufacturer of Ivermectin) do not recommend the use of Ivermectin at this time. All are in agreement there is insufficient published evidence of benefit in humans with COVID-19. Numerous studies are ongoing and preliminary evidence looks promising but, until results from the United States randomized, double-blind, controlled study evidence is published, it is NOT recommended for use unless you are participating in an approved drug trial. Human use of Ivermectin sold for animals is NOT safe. These products may contain contaminants that are dangerous for human consumption.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) – Early in the pandemic, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine were identified as potential drugs for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. Recent reports from larger trials have concluded hydroxychloroquine is not beneficial for patients with COVID-19.