Health experts are warning Australia could soon face its worst flu season in years as Covid transmission across the country remains high.
There were more than 360,000 positive tests recorded around the country in the past week, and nearly half a million people are isolating with active Covid-19.
Thanks to vaccination and the less severe but highly transmissible Omicron variant, the vast majority of people who get Covid will have symptoms that are manageable at home.
If you are self-isolating with Covid, these are some treatments and techniques that may help to alleviate symptoms.
Covid at home generally
Support services and home care guides are available to help people assess Covid symptoms, including the coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398, the federal government’s Health Direct guidelines, and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ guide.
Stay hydrated
Staying well hydrated is important after a Covid diagnosis, says Dr Suzi Nou, a Melbourne anaesthetist who has been managing Covid-positive patients in the community.
Since the surge of the Omicron BA.2 subvariant, Nou has noticed an increase in Covid patients presenting mainly with gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly in children and teenagers, which can contribute to dehydration.
“Their presenting symptom is diarrhoea or vomiting,” Nou says, also noting nausea, loss of appetite, and weight loss. “I’ve been surprised with how dehydrated people have been getting.”
She advises her Covid patients to avoid spicy and rich foods and to “really keep the fluids up. It seems to be – more so than your usual cold – something that can really upset your tummy and cause dehydration”.
The RACGP’s home care guide suggests individuals “manage hydration carefully through small regular sips of fluid, and consider oral rehydration salts” such as Hydralyte.
To avoid dehydration, you should “drink water before you feel thirsty”, according to Health and Wellbeing Queensland. “An easy way to tell if you are hydrated enough is by the colour of your urine – drink enough so it is pale yellow.”
Lie prone
A cough or mild shortness of breath may be improved by lying on your front rather than your back. Prone positioning may “improve oxygen levels in the blood”, according to Covid-19 clinical evidence taskforce guidelines.
“We know that more of your lung tissue is at your back,” says Nou. “If you lie on your front, the effects of gravity mean that the water in your lungs will come to your front so you’ll have more lung surface area to help with breathing.”
Severe difficulty breathing or worsening shortness of breath, however, are considered red flags that indicate someone may need hospital care, as are fainting or collapse and blue lips or face.
Nasal sprays may also help to provide relief for symptoms of nasal congestion, the RACGP guide suggests.
Rest if fatigued
“I repeat to all my patients that Covid infects your whole body. Let’s get away from this idea of it just being a respiratory illness,” Nou says. “If you are getting fatigued, to me that’s a sign that you do have some of it affecting your brain, which is very common.”
Other common symptoms include difficulty concentrating, visual changes, and mood disturbances.
Nou’s advice is “to let your brain rest, particularly when you’re in that first seven to 14 days of being unwell”. She suggests to her patients to minimise time spent in front of screens. “It’s a little bit like if people have a concussion.”
The fatigue may persist after the acute infection, and a staged return to work or school may be necessary for some. “Some people can get back to work [straight away] and be fine,” says Nou. “Some people take a little bit longer.”
“It’s not like muscle [that you] just keep pushing and working harder, and get stronger and better. It’s actually inflammation,” she says. “With inflammation, you’re actually better off … reducing activity and letting [it] settle.”
Can drugs or vitamins help?
Paracetamol or ibuprofen can be taken to alleviate symptoms, including a fever or body aches. Experts note that pregnant women, however, should avoid ibuprofen.
Doctors may prescribe oral antiviral drugs for certain people with mild Covid who are at higher risk of developing severe disease – such as those who are unvaccinated, older than 60, or have underlying chronic medical conditions.
There is little clinical evidence to suggest that vitamin supplements are beneficial in treating or preventing Covid.
Vitamin D – which can be toxic in high doses – has been discussed in relation to the coronavirus, but one systematic review found: “The evidence for the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation for the treatment of Covid‐19 is very uncertain.”
A 2021 clinical trial in people with mild Covid-19 found that taking high-dose zinc, vitamin C or a combination of the two supplements had no benefit in reducing the duration of symptoms.
Australia’s clinical evidence taskforce guidelines don not recommend zinc, among certain other therapeutics, as a treatment for Covid: “There is not enough evidence to support the safe and effective use of these drugs.”
In addition, vitamin C is water soluble; if you consume more than your body can store, it isn’t toxic, but it is excreted in urine. “Excess vitamin C literally goes down the toilet,” Healthdirect, the national public health information service, points out.
In many cases, as health experts have previously pointed out, taking multivitamins just results in “very expensive urine”.
Preventing transmission
Getting an adequate sleep and having a balanced diet may help to boost one’s immune system, but the best protections against Covid are oft-repeated public health measures: getting vaccinated and boosted, wearing a mask, and opting to spend time outdoor or in well-ventilated spaces.
“The biggest thing in terms of not getting infected – rather than boosting your immune system and spending money on vitamins and supplements – is just avoiding high-risk situations and wearing the right protection while having to go into high-risk situations,” says Nou.
“I’d rather spend my money on an N95 mask.”
