As of June 2020, there are no treatments and there is no vaccine or cure for COVID-19, although there are clinical trials under way. Since COVID-19 stems from a virus, antibiotics are not effective to combat it.
There are treatments for people who develop complications which lead to hospitalizations, or simply for those experiencing symptoms of the disease. For those with milder symptoms, your doctor will generally recommend that you stay at home, and use treatments such as the following:
- Pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen (note that despite some early reports, there is no evidence that ibuprofen will worsen COVID-19)
- Cough syrup
- Rest
- Fluids
Patients with more severe symptoms may need to be hospitalized. In these cases, the use of respirators or other life-saving treatments may be used.
Due to the lack of effective treatments or a cure, the best thing you can do is to avoid contracting COVID-19 in the first place. The best ways to do this include:
- Washing hands frequently and thoroughly
- Avoiding touching your mouth, nose, and eyes – if you have an itch or otherwise need to touch your face, make sure you only do so right after washing
- Using a mask or other cloth face covering when out in public
- Maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet between you and others when out in public