If you are F0, you can self-medicate COVID-19 treatment according to your doctor’s prescription at home; Here’s what patients need to keep in mind.

Unlike diseases caused by bacteria, there are antibiotics to treat the cause; Most viral diseases do not have specific antiviral drugs. Therefore; General principles in treating are similar to treating other viral diseases; is to focus on treating symptoms, improving the patient’s health and detecting; Timely treatment of complications of the disease to reduce the overall mortality rate.

To ensure implementation of these principles; Proper risk stratification for patients and close monitoring of them; During the period when the disease is likely to get worse (from day 7 to day 10), it plays an extremely important role. Only patients are assessed as capable (or have someone to support them) of taking care of themselves; You can self-medicate according to your doctor’s prescription; know how to contact medical staff for monitoring; must not have underlying diseases that do not belong to special physiological groups (newborns, the elderly, pregnant women) to be isolated; Treat COVID-19 at home.

When you know you are infected with SARS-CoV-2; Anxiety and fear will often cause patients to seek medication as soon as possible. This can put patients at risk of drug side effects and toxicity; Even taking COVID-19 medication at the wrong time can make the condition worse.

Medicines to treat COVID-19 at home include symptomatic medicines; Medicines to help improve physical condition, strengthen immunity, medicines to prevent and treat complications. In there; Some drugs to treat COVID-19 need to be used at the right time; under close supervision of medical staff; Avoid abuse that affects the recovery and future treatment process.

–  Analgesics and fever reducers: Medicines containing paracetamol 500 mg are often used when patients have symptoms of cough and fever above 38.5oC; headache or body aches.

–  Electrolyte replacement medicine: Oresol is used to replace water and electrolytes when the patient has a high fever; diarrhea and should be prescribed early for patients treated for COVID-19 to prevent hemoconcentration.

– Medicines to improve physical condition and enhance immunity: Multivitamins or B vitamins, vitamin C; Micronutrient. Take according to the dose stated on the label or instructions for use.

The following medications may be prescribed to patients treated for COVID-19 to treat symptoms and associated complications. Need to contact a doctor or medical staff for prescription and instructions on how to use; suitable dosage.

–  Corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drugs: Including Dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone… This is a group of anti-inflammatory drugs; Strong immunosuppression therefore should not be used to treat mild COVID-19 in the early stages. Because when the body is infected with a virus, the immune system will be activated to protect the body through the mechanism of capturing and destroying the virus. If corticosteroids are used early, it will affect the immune system’s ability to eliminate viruses; leading to prolonged treatment time or increased rates of serious complications. It is only when the body’s excessive immune response causes a cytokine storm that damages the lungs as well as other organs and affects the patient’s vital functions; newly prescribed corticosteroids.

– Anticoagulants: Rivaroxaban, Apixaban are used to treat COVID-19 when patients are at risk of increased blood clotting causing blood clots.

– Antiviral drugs: Currently in the testing process, only used for certain subjects under close supervision of medical staff. No drugs have yet proven to be clearly effective on COVID-19 patients.

– Antibiotics: Antibiotics have no effect on viruses, so they are only prescribed in cases of signs of superinfection or opportunistic infections.

– Medicines to treat insomnia, cough, stuffy nose, medicine to treat itchy skin, rashes…

Notes when patients treat COVID-19 at home

Maintain “5K: Mask – Disinfection – Distance – Do not concentrate – Medical declaration” according to the instructions of the Ministry of Health.

Prepare items to support monitoring: Thermometer to monitor temperature; oxygen pressure monitor, blood pressure monitor.

Save the necessary phone numbers in case of an emergency: Emergency phone numbers, medical staff in charge of the patient’s area of residence; Medical staff in volunteer groups.

Daily monitoring of symptoms: Fatigue; cough, cough with phlegm, cough with blood; chills/chills; conjunctivitis (pink eye); loss of taste or smell, diarrhea. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, prolonged chest pain, drowsiness, lack of alertness. Sore throat, headache, dizziness, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, muscle aches.

Immediately notify medical staff when symptoms worsen, such as: Oxygen pressure below 95%; difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, purple lips, purple extremities, blue skin, cold limbs; Changes in consciousness, unstable mood… For young children, pay attention to symptoms: High fever, poor appetite, vomiting, red eyes, red lips, red tongue, swollen fingers and toes with erythema, spots or patches appear. blood…

Do not use medication to treat symptoms when there are no symptoms.Be cautious in using drugs. Do not take multiple prescriptions at the same time; Pay special attention to brand-name drugs that have the same active ingredient to avoid overdose causing poisoning (such as brand-name drugs that contain paracetamol; all drugs are multivitamins).