Manage Symptoms
Most people can safely manage their symptoms with home treatment, such as drinking plenty of fluids, rest, and using a humidifier or hot shower to ease a cough or sore throat. If you have a fever, you can use non-prescription medicine like acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil) to help with some of the symptoms of COVID-19.
If your symptoms worsen, or if you do not improve after five or six days, call 811, your family doctor, a health centre, or the First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day so they can determine if you need to be assessed again.
Go to an emergency department or call 911 if you:
- find it hard to breathe
- have chest pain
- can't drink anything
- feel very sick
- feel confused
If you are immune-compromised, speak to your health care provider.
Close Contacts
If you tested positive
or has symptoms of COVID-19, everyone in the household should monitor for
symptoms of COVID-19 and stay home if they develop symptoms. Find out more at
BC Centre for Disease Control in their close contacts section.
Living with Post-COVID-19/Long-COVID
Some people who have had COVID-19 experience a range of symptoms that can last months or years after the initial illness, which can then have a significant impact on quality of life and function.
Post-COVID-19 (also known as "long-COVID") is an umbrella term for any symptoms that remain after you are initially infected with COVID-19.
Approved COVID-19 Treatments in BC
People who are extremely vulnerable to severe illness might benefit from COVID-19 treatments if diagnosed early in the stages of infection. COVID-19 treatments typically need to be started within five to seven days of symptoms.
If your primary care provider has already determined that you are at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 infection, and you are experiencing symptoms, you are encouraged to:
- Test early to determine if you have a COVID-19 infection.
- If you tested positive for COVID-19, contact your primary care provider, community health nurse or the First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day (phone: 1-855-344-3800) to see if you are eligible.
If your primary care provider is not available within three days of your symptoms starting, contact Service BC to connect to a COVID-19 treatment prescriber:
1-888-COVID-19 (between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.)
www.gov.bc.ca/covidtreatments
It is important to note that medical treatments do not prevent infection and are not considered a replacement for COVID-19 vaccines. Primary care providers will assess if COVID-19 treatments are appropriate based on your medical history and medications. Talk to your primary care provider to see if you may benefit from treatment.
