Get treated for COVID-19
COVID-19 medications are now available through your doctor, local pharmacies, and health clinics.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms, do not wait to be treated. You must take oral COVID-19 medication within 5 days of your first COVID-19 symptoms.
Learn about treatment options on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website. You may also be eligible for the Home Test to Treat program.
Who can get treated
Check with your medical provider to see whether COVID-19 treatments are recommended for you.
General eligibility guidelines are
- Positive COVID-19 test, with treatment started within 5 days of your first COVID-19 symptoms
- Ages 12+, and weighing at least 40 kg (about 90 pounds)
- At high risk for getting very sick from COVID-19
Some people experience post-COVID conditions
Some people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as post-COVID conditions (PCC) or long COVID.
People call post-COVID conditions by many names, including: long COVID, long-haul COVID, post-acute COVID-19, post-acute sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection (PASC), long-term effects of COVID, and chronic COVID.
Learn more about long-term effects that affect some people with COVID-19 from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
People with post-COVID conditions may need support
Having a post-COVID condition or supporting someone with a post-COVID condition can be challenging. It can be difficult to care for yourself or loved ones, especially when there are few or no immediate answers or solutions. However, there are ways to help relieve some of the additional burdens of experiencing or caring for someone with a new and unknown condition.
Learn about caring for people with post-COVID conditions from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).