COVID Questions: Treating mild cases at home; vaccines don’t affect DNA

Editor’s note: We will be publishing answers to questions about COVID-19 and the pandemic each week in this COVID questions column. If you have a question, please email it to covid19update@uc.wisc.edu.

Q: What are some ways I can manage my COVID-19 symptoms at home?

A: There are many very sick patients in hospitals across the country right now that need expert medical care and equipment. But, for those managing milder symptoms at home, there are a few things you can do to take care of yourself and make the experience less miserable.

• Stay at home and isolate from others in the home. Use a separate bedroom and bathroom if possible.
• Stay hydrated. Drink water, tea or even Pedialyte. Sports drinks with electrolytes are OK, but they often have high sugar levels that could perhaps worsen gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea.
• For aches and pains use Tylenol or ibuprofen, but never take more than what is listed on the bottle unless a physician directs you to.
• For a cough or sore throat, use over-the-counter medication like cough syrup.
• If you have an upset stomach, consider a bland diet for a few days.
• Monitor symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, and stay in touch with your doctor if symptoms worsen.
• Let your body recover and don’t exert yourself too much.

Many patients recover from COVID-19 at home using these tips; however, we also recommend that you consult with your health care provider to determine the most appropriate course of treatment.

—Jeff Pothof, UW Health Chief Quality Officer

Q: Will the new vaccines alter your DNA?

A: No, this is not true. The vaccine does not alter your DNA. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are made from messenger RNA, which will be pulled into your own cells. Your proteins will “read” the RNA and produce the protein encoded on the RNA. This protein chunk is part of the “spike” protein, and it is how the coronavirus family got its name. The spike proteins surround the outside of the virus, making it look like a crown (corona). Your immune cells will see these proteins that your cells have produced and flag them with antibodies to destroy them. These antibodies will be stored in your immune memory.

—Devlin Cole, preventive medicine resident, UW–Madison Department of Population Health Sciences, as reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel