COVID-19 treatments and preventative medicine

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is still present in our communities, so it’s important to stay informed about treatment and prevention. Treatment for COVID-19 depends on the severity of your symptoms.

• Severe illness: If you are very sick (most often due to low oxygen levels or lung damage from pneumonia), hospitalization is required. In the hospital, you’ll receive oxygen and other treatments to help with your breathing, along with supportive care and close monitoring. Penn Medicine has several clinical trials related to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. 
• Mild to moderate illness: Most people do not experience low oxygen levels and are able to monitor their symptoms at home. Over-the-counter medicines can be used to manage symptoms. If you are concerned about worsening symptoms, contact your health provider. They can provide closer monitoring through a telephone check-in or telemedicine visit.

Patients with the virus who are well enough to recover from home after they’ve been discharged, as well as patients who are confirmed or likely to have COVID-19 but not sick enough to need hospitalization, are supported from home using automated remote monitoring programs, such as COVID Watch. 

You can use available treatments to help manage COVID-19 symptoms and recover from the illness. In addition to medications to help you recover, there are preventive measures you can take to reduce your risk of contracting the virus so you can protect yourself and others around you.

COVID-19 vaccine

The COVID-19 vaccine is a safe and effective way to help protect yourself from getting sick from the virus. It works by teaching your body’s immune system to recognize the coronavirus, so if you’re exposed, your body can fight it off more easily. There are different types of COVID-19 vaccines available, all formulated to target specific parts of the virus.

Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, such as older adults and those with underlying health conditions. Getting vaccinated can also help protect those around you who may be more vulnerable to the virus.

The vaccine is still the best defense against COVID-19 infection, however there are additional options available to help lower the risk of becoming infected.

Antiviral medications for outpatient cases

Several new COVID-19 medications for outpatient use are now approved through Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration, although they are in limited supply.

Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Merck’s molnupiravir are both oral antiviral pills that can be taken at home to keep patients out of the hospital. They’re meant to be taken within the first few days of having COVID-19, and they reduce the risk of hospitalization and death by up to 88 percent for Paxlovid and 30 percent for molnupiravir. Today these treatments are only for patients at the highest risk of developing severe COVID-19 illness.

Due to the limited availability of these antivirals, health care providers will need to determine the best course of treatment for their patients based on eligibility criteria. People with weakened immune systems have a harder time fighting infections and are especially vulnerable to viruses like COVID and may be prioritized. 

COVID-19 treatment safety is a key concern, especially for those at higher risk from the virus itself. While effective treatments are available, they can have side effects. Your health providers carefully weigh these risks against the potential benefits for your individual case, taking into consideration your overall health status and family history. Additional factors like age and the severity of your illness all influence treatment decisions. Open communication with your doctor is essential to determine the safest and most effective course of treatment for your specific situation.

The COVID-19 vaccines have undergone rigorous testing and are considered very safe. Extensive clinical trials involving tens of thousands of participants ensured the vaccines met strict safety standards before authorization. Millions of people worldwide have now received COVID-19 vaccines, and real-world data continues to confirm their safety profile.

While some side effects can occur, they’re typically mild and short-lived, such as soreness at the injection site, fatigue, headache, or muscle aches. Serious side effects are extremely rare. For most patients, the benefits of protection against COVID-19 far outweigh the minimal risks associated with vaccination.

If you have any concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine or antiviral medications available, talking to your doctor is the best course of action. They can address your individual situation and help you make an informed decision about vaccination and medication usage to treat or prevent coronavirus. They can also help address a COVID-19 recovery and rehabilitation plan if you need support with post-COVID conditions.