When you are contagious

Studies show that people are contagious starting two to three days before they have symptoms of COVID-19. On average, people are no longer contagious about a week after symptoms start. Some people may not have any symptoms.

What to do if you are sick with COVID-19

If you have mild or moderate symptoms, stay home except to get medical care.

• Get plenty of rest.
• Drink lots of fluids.
• Take over-the-counter medicines, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to reduce fever.
• Stay away from others in your home as much as possible. If you must be near others, wear a mask.
• Monitor your symptoms. If they get worse, contact a health care professional for advice. You can get advice virtually or in person through OHSU’s Immediate Care services.

Long COVID-19

You have long COVID-19 if you still have symptoms a month after testing positive. Everyone who gets COVID-19 is at risk, including children and people who had mild cases or no symptoms.

Symptoms of long COVID-19 vary widely and can affect almost every organ system. They include:

• Extreme fatigue
• Brain fog
• Emotional challenges
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Heart issues
• Digestive symptoms
• Nerve pain

Long COVID-19 that greatly limits a person's daily life can be considered a disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Paxlovid

Paxlovid treats mild to moderate COVID-19 by stopping the virus from making copies of itself. Treatment is most effective early, and must start within five days of first symptoms.

Patients take three tablets twice a day for five days — 30 pills in all. In clinical trials, Paxlovid greatly reduced the risk of serious illness or death for people at high risk.

To qualify for Paxlovid treatment, you must:

• Be age 12 or older.
• Weigh at least 40 kilograms (about 88 pounds).
• Be at high risk of severe illness.
• Have mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 that do not require hospital care.
• Have symptoms that started less than five days before.

Paxlovid is not recommended for those with severe kidney or liver disease or for people with weakened immune systems (immunocompromised).

Paxlovid can cause complications for people who take heart-related medications, including blood thinners and some drugs that lower cholesterol (statins). It's best to talk with your doctor about possible interactions. You can pause using some drugs safely during Paxlovid treatment.

Remdesivir

Remdesivir is an antiviral medication. The FDA has approved remdesivir for people who have mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 and are at high risk of developing severe illness. It seems most effective early in an infection, when the disease is mild.

OHSU is the only hospital in Oregon that offers remdesivir to people who aren’t in the hospital.

To get remdesivir if you are not in a hospital, you must:

• Have started having COVID symptoms in the prior seven days
• Be at high risk for serious illness
• Be unable to take Paxlovid for COVID because you:
  • Take other medications that would conflict with Paxlovid and cannot be adjusted
  • Have kidneys that don’t work well

In a 2021 study, unvaccinated people who got remdesivir had an 87% lower risk of being admitted to the hospital or dying than people who got a placebo.

Remdesivir is given as an injection three days in a row. After each dose, you need to stay at least one hour in case you have a strong reaction. Side effects can include nausea or liver inflammation.

Lagevrio

Lagevrio is an antiviral medication that treats mild to moderate COVID-19. Treatment must start within five days after symptoms begin. It is most effective early.

You qualify for treatment with Lagevrio if you:

• Are 18 or older
• Have tested positive for COVID-19
• Are at high risk of serious illness
• Are not in the hospital
• Have symptoms that started less than five days before
• Are not recommended for or are not able to get other COVID-19 treatments

Patients take four capsules every 12 hours for five days — a total of 40 pills. In clinical trials, Lagevrio reduced the risk of serious illness or death for people at high risk.

Get tested

Look for a testing site near you with the CDC’s test locator. Some people qualify for no-cost testing.

Rapid antigen and PCR tests

There are two types of tests: viral tests and antibody tests.

To find out if you are infected, you need a viral test. Viral tests detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

There are two types of viral tests:

• Rapid antigen tests look for antigens (proteins) related to the coronavirus. Rapid tests are fast and easy to use. Self-tests can be used at home. They are more likely to give false negative results, especially if you don’t have any symptoms.
• Laboratory PCR tests look for genetic material from the virus. They take longer to produce results and must be done by a clinic or pharmacy. They are more accurate than rapid tests.

Learn more:

• COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know, CDC

When to test or get tested

The CDC recommends that you test:

• Immediately if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
• After five days if you came in close contact with someone with COVID-19.
  • If you test negative using a home test, take another after 48 hours or get a PCR test as soon as you can.
  • If you test negative a second time using a home test, test again after another 48 hours.

It's also a good idea to test one or two days before attending an event or visiting someone at high risk, the CDC says.

Learn more:

• Testing for COVID-19, CDC