How to cope with a Covid sore throat

Becky Upham
Contd from prev issue
Craig Spencer, MD, an assistant professor and emergency medicine physician at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, frequently tweets about what he sees while treating COVID-19 patients in the ER.
In his experience, unvaccinated people tend to have more severe symptoms or a more dangerous course of COVID-19, whereas vaccinated and boosted patients who get COVID-19 typically have mild symptoms.
“By mild I mean mostly sore throat. Lots of sore throat. Also some fatigue, maybe some muscle pain. No difficulty breathing. No shortness of breath. All a little uncomfortable, but fine,” Dr. Spencer tweeted.
Although there isn’t yet data to confirm this, Galiatsatos has found that symptoms like sore throat and a runny nose tend to linger for a longer period of time in his patients who aren’t vaccinated. “I’ve had unvaccinated patients have these symptoms for 10 to 14 days, whereas for vaccinated people they’re usually doing much better within a week,” he says.
4. Sore Throats Aren’t Always Due to Omicron
COVID-19 aside, throat pain may also be due to the common cold, flu, or strep throat, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to know what kind of infection you have without testing, according to R. Scott McClelland, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine, epidemiology, and global health and a clinical attending physician in infectious diseases at UW Medicine in Seattle. “Even a specialist in infectious disease can’t determine that,” he says.
5. But if You Have a Sore Throat, Assume That It’s COVID-19
Although many of us have been trained to think of a sore throat as no big deal (as children, we were usually shipped off to school unless we also had a fever), COVID-19 requires a change of mentality.
People who have any flu- or cold-like symptoms should assume they have COVID-19 “until proven otherwise,” said Chicago’s Department of Public Health commissioner, Allison Arwady, MD, in a Facebook Live interview on January 11.
“Even if it’s a sore throat, no matter what it is,” said Dr. Arwady. “I’ve told my own staff this, it's what I do myself ... if you are sick, even a little bit sick, stay home. More true than ever right now because [if you’re] sick, even a little bit sick, until proven otherwise with a test — that’s COVID. That’s how we treat it, that’s how you should treat it.”
6. Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers and Home Remedies Can Help Your Sore Throat
There’s no medicine that can cure a COVID-19 sore throat, but there are things you can do to reduce your discomfort, says Galiatsatos.
“For symptom relief, it’s appropriate to take a pain reliever — acetaminophen does a great job. It’s also important to stay well hydrated,” he says.
Home remedies may also help. Gargling with salt water or drinking warm water or tea mixed with honey or warm water with lemon juice can all relieve pain, according to Penn Medicine.
7. Taking an At-Home Test to See if That Sore Throat Is COVID-19? Follow the Instructions That Come With Your Test. To be contd