As of July, 2020, there are no effective treatments for COVID-19. Scientists are looking into therapies that utilize drugs that treat malaria and autoimmune diseases, antiviral drugs developed for other viruses, and antibodies from people who have recovered from COVID-19. Since COVID-19 stems from a virus, antibiotics are not effective to combat it.
For patients with milder symptoms, your doctor will generally recommend that you stay at home, and use treatments such as the following:
- Pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen (note that despite some early reports, there is no evidence that ibuprofen will worsen COVID-19)
- Cough syrup
- Rest
- Fluids
Patients with more severe symptoms may need to be hospitalized. In these cases, the use of respirators or other life-saving treatments may be used.
Due to the lack of effective treatments or a cure, the best thing you can do is to avoid contracting COVID-19 in the first place. The best ways to do this include:
- Washing hands frequently and thoroughly
- Avoiding touching your mouth, nose, and eyes – if you have an itch or otherwise need to touch your face, make sure you only do so right after washing
- Using a mask or other cloth face covering when out in public
- Maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet between you and others when out in public