Cure omicron infection at home: you should pay attention to this

More and more people are currently becoming infected with the omicron variant. We explain what you should pay attention to so that you can cure an omicron infection at home.

The omicron variant is also spreading rapidly in Germany. According to the RKI’s weekly report, even vaccinated and recovered people do not have optimal protection against the virus mutation, but they do have a severe course.

Since the variant has a conspicuous number of genetic changes, it is considered to be particularly contagious. In addition, initial scientific findings indicate that the incubation period for omicron appears to be somewhat shorter on average and that the symptoms differ from the delta variant. Although the symptoms are “mild” in most cases according to the weekly report from the Robert Koch Institute, many patients suffer from a cold, cough, sore throat, night sweats and other complaints for a few days. However, there are things you can do yourself to support your recovery process while you cure omicron infection at home.

Cure omicron infection at home: alleviate symptoms with medication and home remedies

Even if the symptoms can be alleviated with medication, it is quite normal for you to feel sick when you have a corona infection. You can’t change anything about the cause itself, but you can alleviate the symptoms with over-the-counter medication from the pharmacy:

• If you suffer from severe headaches and body aches, over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can help.
• If you have a swollen nose and runny nose, decongestant nasal sprays will help.
• If you have trouble breathing, doctors may prescribe cortisone medication. It is important that you take these medicines exactly as prescribed. The same applies to antibiotics, which are sometimes used to counteract a bacterial concomitant infection.
• Antiviral drugs are rarely used in patients who cure Omikron at home and are only effective in the first days of the infection.

What home remedies help to cure an omicron infection at home?

• Also with herbal home remedies Can you relieve your symptoms? Raw garlic, for example, is considered a “natural antibiotic” and has an anti-inflammatory effect. But various medicinal herbs and spices such as thyme, ginger or sage also help to make the symptoms more bearable.
• If your nose is blocked, you can use a solution of saline and water in the mornings and evenings inhale. The hot steam has a positive effect on the symptoms and helps to clear the airways of mucus.
• Whether you sweat profusely or not, your body should get enough water to avoid dehydration. It is therefore advisable to drink at least one to two liters of water or unsweetened tea a day, even during a corona infection.
• Your weakened immune system may make you feel drained and exhausted. To speed up your recovery process, you should therefore allow yourself plenty of rest and get enough sleep.

Important: Even if you depend on home remedies and medication, you should never break the quarantine rules. After all, you are still infectious and cannot rule out infecting others, who in turn may become more seriously ill. Therefore, ask your family, friends or colleagues to get medication or home remedies for you. You can also get advice over the phone from pharmacies. Many pharmacies offer a delivery service and bring the medication to your front door.

When should I go to the hospital or get medical help?

Unfortunately, there are medical cases where it is no longer sufficient to cure an omicron infection at home. After a few days, some infected people enter a critical phase, which is noticeable, for example, by high fever, severe dizziness and circulatory problems, chest pain or shortness of breath. If you are suffering from shortness of breath, you should not waste any time and contact your family doctor or the on-call health insurance service as soon as possible. If your symptoms worsen, you can call the emergency services on 112.

Important: A complication of corona infection is pneumonia, which is associated with low blood oxygen levels. You can check this oxygen content yourself during your insolation time with a so-called “pulse oximeter”. How “good” or “bad” such a value is depends on previous illnesses and one’s own health. In children, an oxygen saturation of less than 95 percent is already a concern, while lung patients can get by with an oxygen saturation of 85 percent or less. Since there is therefore no generally applicable limit value, you should also heed the recommendation of the pulmonologists: They advise keeping an eye on the respiratory rate per minute. Normally, a person breathes between 12 and 16 times per minute. In the early phase of pneumonia, however, the breathing rate per minute increases to up to 24 breaths. At the latest when you notice such a change, you should seek medical help. The same applies if you or someone close to the infected suddenly behaves differently, shows signs of delirium and can no longer sit up or move.

Cure omicron infection at home: what should vaccinated and recovered people know?

If you are vaccinated, the probability of getting seriously ill with Corona decreases. Because the immune response sets in sooner than in people who have not been vaccinated or recovered, infection is usually less likely to spread to the lungs. New data shows that the T cells of vaccinated and recovered people respond to omicron and thus prevent a severe course in most cases.

However, even as a vaccinated and/or recovered person, you should continue to exercise caution and try to keep the wave flat. You contribute to this by keeping your distance, airing, wearing a mask and washing your hands.

Read more on Techzle.com:

• Omikron: Why we should now test ourselves differently
• Corona warning app is red: you have to do that now
• Preparation helps: what to do if the corona test is positive?