Reviewed by medical experts • For informational purposes only
Most COVID is treated at home - rest, fluids, paracetamol, isolation, and a pulse oximeter for warning signs. Severe disease is treated in hospital with oxygen, steroids and antivirals. The full treatment picture: what to do each day at home, the red flags that mean hospital, and how recovery works.
Treating COVID well means matching the response to the severity - most infections need rest and paracetamol at home, high-risk patients need early antivirals, and severe illness needs hospital. Here is the full decision map.
Mild: fever, cough, sore throat, ache - but breathing comfortably, SpO2 94 or above, eating and drinking. Moderate-plus: breathlessness, SpO2 under 94, persistent high fever, chest pain, confusion - this is hospital territory, no negotiation.
Oxygen support, steroids for those needing oxygen, blood thinners, antivirals or immune medicines for selected patients, and ICU care for the critical. Families help by bringing the medicine list, the oximeter record, and calm.
Return to activity gradually over 1-2 weeks after mild illness; longer after severe. Cough and fatigue can linger - patience. Symptoms persisting beyond 4-12 weeks (fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness): long COVID evaluation - real, recognized, and helped by paced rehabilitation. Vaccination when recovered, on schedule.
Match COVID care to severity: home rest, paracetamol and oximeter for mild; day-one doctor call and antivirals for high-risk; hospital without delay below SpO2 94 or with breathlessness - then a gradual, patient recovery.
Written By
Dr. Daksh
BDS
Reviewed By
Dr. Varun Gupta
MD Pharmacology, MBBS
Last updated on
27 Sep 2022 • 06:23 PM (IST)
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