Treatments for COVID-19
What You Should Know
- Treatments used for COVID-19 should be prescribed by your healthcare provider. People have been seriously harmed and even died after taking products not approved for use to treat or prevent COVID-19, even products approved or prescribed for other uses. Talk to your healthcare provider about what option may be best for you.
- There is currently no cost for most COVID-19 treatments themselves, but the treating facility may charge for the administration of the drug. Check your insurance plan to determine coverage. If you do not have insurance, ask the treatment facility if there are fees.
- Treatment is not a substitute for vaccination against COVID-19. Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep from getting sick with COVID-19.
Home Care
For most people who become sick with COVID-19, home care is sufficient to address symptoms of illness, such as getting plenty of rest and drinking water to stay hydrated. Taking medications, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, may also help to reduce fever. For individuals at risk for severe disease based on their age or medical conditions, medications specifically to fight COVID-19 are available.
Medical Outpatient Treatment
If you are higher risk for severe illness or hospitalization due to an underlying health condition(s) or are immunocompromised, your healthcare provider may recommend that you receive treatment to prevent your condition from worsening. Contact a health professional right away after a positive test to determine if you may be eligible due to your higher-risk status or underlying condition, even if your symptoms are mild right now. Treatment must be started within the first few days to be most effective.
The main treatment option for COVID-19 infection, beyond home care, is antivirals.
Depending on your medical history, risks, and symptoms, your health care provider can help you determine the best therapeutic option for you.
If you do not have a healthcare professional, call 1-877-332-6585 to find out who to talk with about your symptoms and treatment.
Antivirals ("Test to Treat")
Antivirals are medicines that can help treat COVID-19 in individuals who are considered high risk for severe illness. They are available by prescription only to qualifying individuals.
Through the federal “Test to Treat” program, people who test positive for COVID-19 can be assessed by a qualified health care provider at local pharmacy-based clinics and federally-qualified community health centers (FHQCs) who can prescribe antiviral pills on the spot. Individuals who receive COVID-19 test results through at-home tests or another testing site can also utilize a Test to Treat location to receive a prescription from a qualified health care provider and treatment on the spot, if eligible. The oral antivirals—Paxlovid™ and molnupiravir—are authorized for patients who have mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 and are not in the hospital. Paxlovid is for patients ages 12 and older weighing at least 88 pounds; molnupiravir is for patients ages 18 and older.
Oral antivirals may interfere with other drugs and impact other health conditions, so it’s important to discuss the medications you're taking and preexisting health conditions you have with your healthcare provider. If eligible, your provider can appropriately prescribe oral antivirals for you at locations where they are being distributed.
For antiviral pills to be most effective, they need to be taken as early in the disease course as possible and within five days of symptom onset. Find an antiviral Test to Treat participating site near you.
The FDA has also approved an antiviral injection, or shot, called remdesivir (also known as Veklury), which can be given to adults and to children as young as 28 days old. Remdesivir is approved for use in hospitalized patients and non-hospitalized patients who are at high-risk for progression to severe COVID-19. Because it is an injection, remdesivir is only available to non-hospitalized patients through healthcare facilities and outpatient infusion centers. Talk to your healthcare provider about your risk of progression to severe disease and how to locate this treatment.
Read more about antiviral options for COVID-19.
Monoclonal Antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies that were used earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic are no longer effective for treating infections with currently circulating variants, this includes tixagevimab plus cilgavimab (EVUSHELD) which had previously been used as prophylaxis for individuals with moderate to severe immunocompromising conditions.
Clinical Trials
There are many organizations researching COVID-19 and potential treatments, and these studies often need individuals who have tested positive to participate. Clinical trials are very important, but not all of them are legitimate. If you’re interested in participating in a COVID-19 research study, the Federal Trade Commission has guidance to help you determine whether a clinical trial is real or fake.
Before starting any medical treatment, talk with your healthcare provider. If you do not have a healthcare professional, call 1-877-332-6585 to find out who to talk with about your symptoms and treatment.
You can learn more about clinical trials on the National Institutes of Health website, a trusted source of information. Please note, Maricopa County Department of Public Health is not affiliated with clinical trials nor do we endorse them, and participation is entirely voluntary and between the individual and the research organization.
Post-Covid Conditions
Although most people with COVID-19 get better within weeks of illness, some people experience post-COVID conditions. Post-COVID conditions are a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems people can experience four or more weeks after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Even people who did not have COVID-19 symptoms in the days or weeks after they were infected can have post-COVID conditions (e.g., long Covid). These conditions can present as different types and combinations of health problems for different lengths of time.
Learn more about long-term Covid conditions on the CDC website.
Information for Healthcare Providers
Due to the rapidly evolving nature of the pandemic, it is recommended providers reference the HHS ASPR website for the latest updates on COVID-19 therapeutics and the NIH website for COVID-19 treatment guidelines.