Covid-19: how to treat yourself at home?

How to treat yourself alone at home when you have covid? What treatments? Dr Jacques Battistoni explains the right gestures and the signs of aggravation to watch out for if you are positive for the coronavirus.

A 10-day isolation must be respected if one is positive or contact case , or if one is awaiting the results. The "test-trace-isolate" trilogy is a chain reaction strategy. If you get tested, you must also warn your loved ones and isolate yourself, to protect them. By isolating yourself, you effectively break the chain of transmission.

If you have tested positive, stay at home until recovery (disappearance of symptoms).

In the vast majority of cases (80%), being positive for covid-19 is not serious , and does not induce hospitalization, patients recover in a few days. The recommendations of the Ministry of Health are as follows:

• In case of cough, fever, you must stay confined and avoid all contact.
• Your children and spouse  must also confine themselves.
• If necessary, call your doctor or a pharmacist for an opinion adapted to the situation or make a teleconsultation .

COVID-19: HOW TO TREAT YOURSELF AT HOME?

There is currently no specific treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection . Treatment is symptomatic. It is therefore a question of limiting unpleasant symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, in particular. For this, only one thing to do: take paracetamol , respecting the dosages: no more than 1 gram, 3 times a day (3 grams in total).

It is important to monitor your temperature twice a day. “The fever is variable in patients who have the coronavirus, it can be very light at the beginning (37.5°C) then rise sharply in the second week”, underlines Jacques Battistoni, general practitioner and President of MG France. He advises taking it once in the morning and once in the evening for the duration of the symptoms.

Beware of self-medication. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses. It is only in the event of superinfection on the serious forms that it can be indicated, on medical prescription. On the other hand, anti - inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen, Advil or aspirin are contraindicated by the French health authorities*.

In the presence of symptoms , even benign (cough, slight fever, runny nose, conjunctivitis , loss of smell , digestive disorders , hives ...) or in case of concern, Jacques Battistoni is clear: "no need to worry, even if you only have mild symptoms, call your doctor or do a teleconsultation . And to continue: "on the one hand, it will reassure you if you are worried and on the other hand, it allows you to have a medical follow-up , if the symptoms were to evolve" . You should know that the pathology can last up to 2 weeks ."We often observe that the symptoms are mild at the beginning, then the patient's condition worsens from the 7th day and then in the second week or that new symptoms appear, which is why it is better to have already had a first opinion as soon as the symptoms appeared, it allows you to have a benchmark. Ditto, even if the children do not have severe forms, the doctor advises to notify the attending physician for medical advice.

Patients who suffer from a chronic pathology, such as diabetes , asthma , or who follow a treatment that reduces their immune defenses (against polyarthritis for example), must be all the more vigilant and follow the recommendations to the letter. sanitary. If in doubt, if you are unable to reach your doctor, dial 15. Under no circumstances should you stop your usual treatments without medical advice.

Finally, nasal sprays are not recommended , underlines Jacques Battistoni. And for good reason: in the event of infection, they may be able to disseminate the virus in the respiratory system.” Also, he advises “not to do it too much in the event of infection.”

IN WHICH CASE TO CONTACT THE SAMU?  

If your condition worsens: if you have trouble breathing or you feel short of breath, if your cough gets worse and you feel congested and this prevents you from breathing well, contact SAMU 15.

"A fever which rises sharply and/or symptoms which worsen or appear (headaches for example) from the second week, shortness of breath and the feeling of lack of air are signs of aggravation “, says Dr. Battistoni.

You are over 70 years old and/or have a chronic condition (kidney failure, heart failure, insulin-dependent diabetes, etc.) or you are undergoing treatment that weakens you (chemotherapy in particular) or you are pregnant, contact 15. (Consult the list of vulnerable people on the Ministry of Health website).

On his Instagram account, emergency doctor Patrick Pelloux recommends monitoring the appearance of signs of aggravation that require hospitalization.

For this, 3 parameters must be monitored daily:

• The  heart rate . For this, take the lice over 15 seconds, then multiply by 4 to have it over 1 minute. It is on average around 60. If the figure is above 120, it is a sign that the heart rate is too high (tachycardia).
• The temperature . It should stay around 38°C. Remember that the temperature must be checked morning and evening.
• Oxygen saturation (percentage of oxygen in the blood). It can be measured with a saturometer (you can find it in pharmacies). If you don't have a saturometer, the emergency doctor gives a simple tip: count to 20, if you get to 20, you are at 100% oxygen in your blood, everything is fine. On the other hand, if you are out of breath while counting, it means that you are below 80%. Another way to tell: If you're having trouble breathing while you're talking at rest, you're lacking oxygen.

If one or more of these parameters are abnormal, call the SAMU (15).

CORONAVIRUS: WHAT ADVICE WHILE WAITING FOR RECOVERY 

• It is important to ventilate your home "at least 10 minutes, several times a day".
• Wear a mask to avoid contaminating your loved ones and stay away.
• Clean and disinfect door handles and supports to limit the risk of contagion to your loved ones.
• Dispose of contaminated waste (put it in a separate bag).
• Be sure to hydrate well with water to avoid fever-related dehydration.
• Eating a  balanced diet rich in vitamins will help you fight the virus.
• Natural methods  - herbal teas, honey, squeezed lemon, etc. - usually used to help fight colds and other winter infections, are recommended, in addition to paracetamol. They do not cure the coronavirus but help to relieve the symptoms (sore throat in particular).

PROTECT THOSE AROUND YOU: THE RIGHT ACTIONS WHEN YOU ARE POSITIVE FOR COVID

• I avoid contact with other people in the house. If possible, I don't touch them. I don't kiss them.

• I keep more than a meter from my loved ones and I limit my discussions to less than 15 minutes.

• I do not receive people from outside my home at my home, except carers or carers.

• I stay, if possible, in a separate room and close the door. I do not share my bed and I take my meals alone in my room.

• I wash my hands very often with soap and water and dry them with a towel or towel.

• I avoid touching my eyes, nose, mouth and face.

• I use a tissue that I throw away if I cough or blow my nose.

• I clean the bathroom and toilets after using them with bleach or disinfectants.

• I don't share my everyday objects: towels and washcloths, soap, cutlery, plates, telephone, etc.

*The Haute Autorité de Santé recently changed its recommendation and underlined, since November 10, 2021, that NSAIDs can be used according to the usual prescription rules in patients with pain during long COVID.