Viral Respiratory Illness (sore throat, voice changes, runny nose, cough with minimal shortness of breath, watery clear discharge and red eye, etc …. aka NO antibiotics necessary)
Vit D + K2 1000-5000 IU/day (adults), Vit C, Zinc, Magnesium citrate/threonate, Tumeric (high dose) (80+% hospitalized patients with COVID were Vit D deficient)
Water with electrolytes
Honey – spoon directly in mouth and don’t wash down (more effective than cough medications)
Salt water gargles
Rest & isolation & stress reduction
Ibuprofen and/or Tylenol
Nasal saline rinses/neddy pot
*You are infectious until symptoms have cleared, however, can have a normal post-infectious cough for up to 3 months!
If feeling short of breath, or coughing a lot, you may have a viral bronchitis or asthma/COPD —> Utilize Ventolin +/- Flovent inhaler with Aerochamber for several days trial.
If increasing shortness of breath, despite inhalers, + fever/chills/night sweats +/- chest pain = ?bacterial pneumonia —> reassessment +/- antibiotics
Other bacterial infections that can happen during or after a viral infection (aka potential need for antibiotics):
Sore throat + white patches on tonsils + no cough = ?strep throat (bacterial pharyngitis) —> reassessment +/- antibiotics
New persisting ear pain +/- hearing loss = ?otitis media (bacterial ear infection) —> reassessment +/- antibiotics
New tenderness to sinuses + purulent discharge + fever = ?bacterial sinusitis —> reassessment +/- antibiotics
Red eye(s) + discharge/glued shut = ?bacterial conjunctivitis —> reassessment +/- topical antibiotics
EXPECTIONS IF TREATED WITH ANTIBIOTICS: day 1-2 you may get worse, day 3 stabilize, day 4+ improve… if day 4+ you are getting worse —> reassessment +/- change of antibiotics/consider other diagnoses
*Seek emergency help if increasing shortness of breath, respiratory distress (nasal flaring, intercostal/supraclavicular in drawing, tripoding) or chest pain. If fever returns after days of resolution —> reassessment/ return to ED.
Created by Dr. S. Browne (2023, Ladysmith Acute Care)
