Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever and body aches. The key steps are confirming your diagnosis, managing symptoms, protecting the people around you, and knowing when your situation calls for medical attention or prescription treatment.
Confirm Your Test Result
If you took a rapid antigen test at home and it came back positive, that result is reliable. You have COVID-19.
If your first rapid test came back negative but you have symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat, or body aches, don’t assume you’re in the clear. The FDA recommends testing again at least 48 hours after a negative result, for a minimum of two tests total. Rapid tests are less sensitive early in an infection, so a negative result on day one of symptoms doesn’t rule COVID out.
How to Manage Symptoms at Home
For most people, COVID-19 feels like a bad cold or flu: fever, fatigue, cough, congestion, sore throat, and muscle aches. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen both help with fever and pain. Stay hydrated, rest as much as your body asks for, and don’t try to push through it. There’s no benefit to “toughing it out,” and rest genuinely speeds recovery.
A few practical things that make a real difference: keep a water bottle nearby so you’re sipping throughout the day, use a humidifier or take steamy showers to ease congestion, and sleep propped up slightly if coughing keeps you awake. Honey in warm water or tea can soothe a sore throat and may help calm a cough.
Who Should Get Prescription Treatment
Antiviral medication is available for people at higher risk of getting seriously ill. You’re eligible if you’re 50 or older, or if you have certain medical conditions. The list of qualifying conditions is broader than many people realize. It includes:
- Diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
- Heart conditions, including heart failure, coronary artery disease, and possibly high blood pressure
- Chronic lung disease, including moderate-to-severe asthma and COPD
- Obesity (BMI of 30 or higher) or even overweight (BMI of 25 or higher)
- Cancer, or a weakened immune system from medications or conditions
- Chronic kidney or liver disease
- Pregnancy
- Current or former smoking
- HIV
- Mental health conditions, including depression and schizophrenia spectrum disorders
- Physical inactivity
If any of these apply to you, contact your doctor or a telehealth provider as soon as possible. Antiviral treatment works best when started within the first five days of symptoms. The prescribing decision is based on your doctor’s overall assessment of your risk, so even if you’re unsure whether you qualify, it’s worth asking.
One thing to be aware of: some people who take antivirals experience a “rebound” where symptoms return 3 to 7 days after they initially improve. This happens in roughly 7 to 14% of treated patients, though rebound also occurs at similar rates (about 5%) in people who don’t take antivirals at all. Rebound episodes are typically mild and resolve on their own.
When to Get Emergency Help
Most COVID cases stay mild. But certain symptoms mean you need immediate medical care. Call 911 or go to an emergency room if you experience:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or difficulty thinking clearly
- Inability to wake up or stay awake
- Lips, nail beds, or skin turning pale, gray, or blue
If you call 911, let the dispatcher know you have or may have COVID-19 so the responding team can take appropriate precautions.
Protecting People Around You
You can return to normal activities once both of these have been true for at least 24 hours: your symptoms are improving overall, and you haven’t had a fever without using fever-reducing medication. For many people, this takes a few days. For others, it can take a week or more.
After you return to normal activities, take extra precautions for the next five days. That means wearing a well-fitting mask around others, keeping your distance when possible, choosing well-ventilated spaces, washing your hands frequently, and testing before gathering with other people. If your fever returns or you start feeling worse again after resuming activities, go back to staying home until you meet the same criteria: 24 hours of improving symptoms and no fever without medication.
While you’re isolating at home, try to stay in a separate room from other household members if possible. Use a separate bathroom if you have one. Open windows for ventilation. Wear a mask if you need to be in shared spaces.
Work and Time Off
Federal employees can use sick leave when an illness like COVID-19 prevents them from working, and agencies may allow telework if your job has portable duties. For private-sector workers, protections vary significantly by state and employer. Some states and cities have paid sick leave laws that cover COVID-19, while others do not.
Check your employer’s sick leave policy and your state’s labor department website. If you don’t have paid sick leave, some employers will allow you to use vacation time or take unpaid leave. Federal employees can self-certify the reason for absences, though absences longer than three days may require a medical certificate. Keep your positive test result and any documentation from a healthcare provider in case you need it.
What Recovery Looks Like
Most mild COVID infections resolve within one to two weeks. Fatigue and a lingering cough often hang on longer than other symptoms, sometimes for several weeks. This is normal and doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong.
If symptoms persist beyond four weeks, or if you develop new symptoms like brain fog, heart palpitations, or exercise intolerance after your initial infection clears, that pattern is consistent with long COVID. Bring it up with your doctor so they can evaluate what’s going on and connect you with appropriate care.