How to Get Rid of COVID: 6 Tips to Reduce Symptoms Fast

Key takeaways:

Your body will be able to clear COVID-19 illness faster if you’re up to date with the latest COVID vaccine.
You can also help your body get rid of COVID more quickly with some home remedies. Rest, drink, and plenty of fluids. You can also rinse your nose with saline and treat your symptoms with over-the-counter (OTC) remedies.
When started in the first five days of illness, Paxlovid has been shown to help get rid of COVID more quickly.
Some evidence shows that supplements like zinc, melatonin, and echinacea might help you get rid of COVID more quickly. But research is ongoing.

So, you tested positive for a COVID-19 infection. And now you’re stuck at home, hoping to feel better as soon as possible. After all, there’s never a good time to be sick.

Although there’s no magic pill to make COVID go away immediately, there are treatments and home remedies that can help you feel better faster.

How long does COVID last?

The timeline for COVID can vary a bit from person to person. You may begin to feel COVID symptoms about 2 to 5 days after being infected. Symptoms typically reach their peak about 3 to 5 days after that and then gradually get better. But keep in mind that not everyone experiences symptoms. In one study, the average time to feel better from COVID was 15 days. But, for some people, it took 3 weeks to completely recover.

Infographic showing for how long are people contagious with covid-19.

Home remedies to reduce COVID symptoms quickly

The best way to improve your COVID symptoms quickly is to support your body’s natural healing. The more supported your body systems are, the better they can fight the virus. Here are some tips to help you boost your body’s natural ability to fight infections.

Get rest

People who sleep fewer than 7 hours a night are more likely to get sick with viral upper respiratory infections, like COVID. Sleep plays an important role in immune function, helping your body’s natural defenses work their magic to fight off viruses. So, try to get to bed earlier than usual to help give your immune system an extra boost.

Drink fluids

Staying hydrated can help regulate body temperature and also make sure that your blood vessels can deliver all those immune-boosting cells to the rest of your body. It can be hard to drink with a sore throat, but it’s worth forcing yourself to hydrate. Dehydration can also cause a headache, making your COVID symptoms feel worse overall.

Rinse your nose

A nasal saline rinse can help clear out bothersome mucus from your nose and help you breathe more comfortably.

One study found that people with COVID who used a nasal saline rinse got rid of their runny nose, congestion, and sneezing more quickly. As an added benefit, a nasal sinus rinse may also lower the viral load (the amount of virus in your body) and speed up recovery from COVID.

Gargle salt water

A saltwater gargle is a natural remedy that can help loosen mucus and reduce pain and inflammation from a sore throat. You can easily prepare your own at home. Just mix about ½ tsp of salt into an 8-oz glass of warm water. Aim to gargle for about 15 seconds, or longer, if you can.

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Try OTC remedies

Over-the-counter (OTC) treatments can help make your COVID symptoms go away faster and keep you more comfortable while recovering.

Here are the best OTC treatments for COVID, based on your symptoms:

Cough: Try a cough suppressant, like dextromethorphan (Robitussin, Delsym) or an expectorant, like guaifenesin (Mucinex).
Fever and headache: Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help treat both of these symptoms.
Nasal congestion: Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) can help decrease congestion.

Get vaccinated

Being vaccinated against COVID can lower the viral load in your body when you’re fighting off a COVID infection. A lower viral load usually means you can get rid of COVID more quickly.

Also, if you’re vaccinated against COVID, you’re less likely to develop long COVID symptoms in the future. So, make sure you’re up to date with the latest COVID vaccine available. But wait to get the vaccine if you have active symptoms of a COVID infection. You can get an updated shot after your symptoms fully resolve and you no longer need to be isolated.

Inhale steam

Though steam can’t cure COVID or kill the virus, it can offer some temporary relief from symptoms, like nasal congestion or sinus pressure. Inhaling warm, moist air can help soothe your airways, loosen up mucus, and make it easier to breathe.

To use steam for your COVID symptoms, you can try:

Taking a warm shower
Using a humidifier
Inhaling steam from a bowl of hot water (Be sure to keep your face at a safe distance to avoid getting burned.)

Steam therapy is a comfort measure. If you find that it helps with your symptoms, you can do it as often as you’d like.

Stay nourished

Eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet that’s low in highly processed foods is good for your overall health, whether or not you’re sick. Research shows that certain nutrients can help you recover from COVID infection. These include:

Vitamin C
Zinc
Omega-3 fatty acids
Fiber

Some of the best foods to eat when you have COVID include:

Sweet potatoes
Strawberries
Oatmeal
Eggs
Beans
Nuts

If certain foods don’t taste right due to loss of smell or taste, choose what’s comforting and easy to tolerate until your appetite returns.

Can antiviral medication make COVID go away faster?

Nirmatrelvir / ritonavir (Paxlovid) is an antiviral medication that stops the virus that causes COVID from copying itself. People who take Paxlovid in the first 5 days of their COVID illness tend to get rid of the virus faster than those who don’t. So, Paxlovid does actually seem to make COVID go away faster.

Paxlovid is recommended if you:

Have mild-to-moderate illness
Have had symptoms for 5 days or less
Have a condition that puts you at high risk for complications from COVID

More studies are needed to understand how other COVID medications affect recovery time. Researchers continue to study the effects of remdesivir (Veklury) and molnupiravir (Lagevrio).

How to get Paxlovid

If you have COVID and are considered at high risk for complications, you can contact your primary care provider to get a Paxlovid prescription. You may also get Paxlovid from a pharmacist or other healthcare facility in the U.S.

Keep in mind that not all pharmacies are able to prescribe Paxlovid, and a pharmacist may need to review your medical records first.

Can supplements make COVID go away faster?

Scientists have studied many types of vitamins and dietary supplements as potential treatments for COVID. Some studies suggest that certain supplements might help people recover from COVID faster:

Zinc: Zinc may help people who are hospitalized recover faster from COVID.
Herbal remedies: Herbal remedies, like echinacea and turmeric, have been found to speed up recovery rates in people with COVID infections.
Melatonin: Melatonin may help, but the findings have been mixed. Some studies show it can help people recover faster, and others found no difference in recovery rates.

It’s also possible that a combination of supplements might work better. One well-designed study (a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial) found that a combination of melatonin, zinc, and a multivitamin helped people recover from COVID faster than those who took a placebo.

But, despite the promising nature of these studies, the data isn’t definitive enough to make clear recommendations. According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, there isn’t enough evidence to recommend any particular vitamin to treat COVID.

When to get medical care

Most cases of COVID can be treated at home. But, if you develop signs of a more severe illness, getting prompt treatment can lower your chances of more serious complications.

Get medical attention right away if you notice any of the following symptoms:

Difficulty breathing
Pressure in your chest
New confusion
Trouble staying awake
Skin or lips that look pale or blue

Contact a healthcare professional if you have any health conditions that put you at high risk for complications of COVID. Examples include diabetes, cancer, and chronic lung disease. If you have one of these underlying conditions, you may benefit from early medication treatment, even if your COVID symptoms are mild.

Frequently asked questions

If you have a mild COVID infection, it can be easy to mistake it for a cold. Common symptoms of mild COVID include:

Cough
Sore throat
Fatigue
Headache
Congestion or runny nose

You’re most contagious for the first 5 to 7 days after getting infected with COVID. And you could spread the virus a day or two before you experience any symptoms. You can also continue to spread the virus for up to 8 to 10 days after your symptoms start.

Some herbs may help relieve mild COVID symptoms, but they aren’t a cure or replacement for proven treatments. Herbal remedies — like ginger, turmeric, and elderberry — have been studied for their anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting properties, but the evidence is limited and not specific to COVID. If you choose to use herbs, it’s best to check with a healthcare professional to avoid potential interactions with any medications you may be taking.

If you’re pregnant and get COVID, there are a few safe ways to manage your symptoms. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is generally considered safe for reducing fever or body aches. Options like rest, hydration, and using a humidifier or saline spray can also help. In some cases, your healthcare team may recommend antiviral treatment, such as Paxlovid, if you're at higher risk for complications.

The bottom line

Staying up to date with your COVID vaccine is the best way to prevent COVID infection. If you do get infected, vaccination will help you recover faster and moderate your symptoms. To further help your body fight it off faster, get rest and drink plenty of fluids. A nasal sinus rinse and over-the-counter (OTC) medications can help lessen COVID symptoms faster. For those at risk of serious illness, Paxlovid can help you feel better faster, if you take it within 5 days of feeling unwell.

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Written by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

Reviewed by:

Farzon A. Nahvi, MD

Farzon Nahvi, MD, is an emergency medicine physician and author of “Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER.” He works at Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire, and teaches at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

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