SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — For many people, a COVID-19 diagnosis means several weeks of isolation at home, waiting for symptoms to pass as the body fights off the disease. But doctors and pharmacists now have many ways people can alleviate symptoms to make their recovery more comfortable.

That's especially true when it comes to the four most common symptoms of COVID-19: fever, aches, cough, and shortness of breath.

They warn, however, that you should consult with your doctor before starting any form of treatment.

The CDC says the best treatment for fever or body aches is still an over-the-counter drug like acetaminophen.

As for a cough, there is a combination of OTC medicines and homeopathic treatments.

"We can use the time-tested remedies," says Merissa Corey, the pharmacy supervisor for Sharp Healthcare. "A humidifier or a vaporizer works great to help soothe and control a cough."

Corey also says to look for specific active ingredients when choosing an over the counter treatment like cough syrup or throat lozenges. Guaifenesin is an expectorant, which can help you cough out built-up mucus or fluid. Dextromethorphan works as a cough suppressant for a dry cough.

If you experience shortness of breath, experts say it can help to lay face down in the prone position.

"That can help the mechanics of the lung and gas exchange," says Dr. Atul Malhotra, UC San Diego's research chief of pulmonary critical care.

He put out a study showing that laying in the prone position has helped COVID-19 patients in a hospital setting. The study says it can help increase ventilation and relieve stress on the lungs.

Malhotra believes it may work at home as well.

"But," he warns, "it needs to be done cautiously."

Malhotra says you should only practice laying in a prone if your doctor advises it. Malhotra also says something as simple as blowing a fan over your face can trigger Trigeminal reflexes in your body to help relax and regulate breathing.

Corey also says movement can help open up the lungs and make breathing easier. She suggests short walks around the house. She also says to practice deep breathing exercises.

"Taking deep breaths, to help clear anything in the lungs, that can help facilitate a better recovery, and oftentimes prevent or reduce the need for advanced treatments," says Corey.

Meanwhile, a November study from North Carolina State found that green tea, dark chocolate, and certain types of grapes can help fight the disease by blocking certain enzymes in SARS-COV-2. Those enzymes, called the Main Protease, are what help COVID-19 replicate and grow in your body.

The study says chemicals in those foods prevent the enzyme from functioning.

Doctors also say rest and sleep are an essential part of COVID-19 recovery. Malhotra says sleep deprivation increases the risk of pneumonia and makes it harder for your immune system to fight off disease.

Corey says all of this can combine with other home-based comforts to make people feel better.

"It's time to get that favorite book, make some phone calls to friends, let everyone know you're okay," she says. "And stay positive."

Again, experts say to talk with your doctor first before trying any home remedy.

This article was written by Jared Aarons for KGTV.

A new study suggests that increasing the number of people eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine could make it harder for people to get a shot.

The study, from Surgo Ventures in Washington DC, compared each state's percentage of people eligible with the number of doses they administered for every 100,000 people.

"What we generally saw was that states that had a more narrow focus on their vaccination efforts generally had a more success at rolling out the vaccine to more people," says Senior Research Scientist Nicholas Stewart.

Among the states with the lowest percentage of the population eligible, Connecticut, Hawaii, and New Mexico led the way in administering doses. New Mexico gave out 51,686 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for every 100,000 people.

Conversely, states like Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi all had 70% or more of their population eligible but only distributed around 35,000 doses or less.

Stewart says the numbers show that states had logistical problems keeping up with demand when they increased eligibility.

"When you expand eligibility to people all across your entire state, the supply chain logistics get extremely complicated," he says.

High eligibility rates didn't always mean low dose distribution. West Virginia bucked the trend by opening up vaccines to 72% of their population but was still seventh in the nation at distribution. They gave out 42,620 doses per 100,000 people.

Similarly, not every state that kept eligibility limited did a good job at giving out shots. California had the seventh most strict eligibility rules in the study but only gave out 36,108 doses per 100,000. That put them 37th in the nation.

Stewart says West Virginia did well because they had a single, centralized system that covered the entire state. California, meanwhile, went county-by-county for vaccine distribution.

"If each county is telling their residents that they have a different eligible population in their specific county, there's going to be confusion across the entire state," Stewart says. "That's going to create obvious impediments to that process."

Stewart says the study isn't a call to increase restrictions, especially since President Biden has already said he wants every American eligible to get a vaccine by May 1.

Instead, he believes the numbers show that states need to increase focus on their vaccine distribution infrastructure. He says there need to be more vaccination sites at easy-to-access locations, more supply of vaccines, and easier ways to book appointments. He also says states need to beef up their IT infrastructure to avoid frustration with online appointment systems.

"As we move forward, what we need to do before opening up eligibility is try to solve for some of these bottlenecks in terms of the vaccination process," says Stewart. "Every state needs to be building upon the infrastructure that is already in place."

To help, Surgo created a "COVID-19 Vaccine Coverage Index." It gives every county in the country a score on five factors that could slow down vaccine distribution. Stewart says identifying weaknesses will let local governments address the problems before increasing eligibility.

This story was first published by Jared Aarons at KGTV.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Researchers at the University of California San Diego are launching the first-ever placebo-controlled study into the effects of marijuana on migraines.

"This has never been studied before," said Dr. Nathaniel Schuster, the lead researcher on the project.

"We want to know whether it is more effective than placebo, whether it is beneficial for the headache part of migraine, whether it's helpful for the other parts of migraine."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), migraines affect 15.3% of the U.S. population.

Studies on it have been rare because the federal government still classifies marijuana as an illegal, Schedule A drug. But marijuana is legal in California for medicinal and recreational use.

Schuster and his team spent several years working with the government to get all of the necessary approvals for a formal study. The government will also supply medical-grade marijuana.

Participants in the study will get four different doses to use on four separate headaches. They'll report their results through an app.

"The patients don't know which one is which," explained Dr. Schuster. "We'll give one of them with THC, one of them with the THC/CBD mixture, one of them with CBD, and one of them with placebo."

Dr. Schuster hopes this study will finally put some scientific data behind something that's become common practice. He says about 30% of medical marijuana users already take it to treat some form of headache.

"We know many people are doing it. Now, we're going to give doctors and patients some data so that they know whether it's effective and for what parts of migraine," Dr. Schuster said.

"I think it's great," said Dr. Jack Schrim, the co-director of the Headache Center of Southern California.

He's already referred several patients to participate in the study.

"Until very recently, the research has been lacking," he said.

Dr. Schrim says he has many patients who ask him about marijuana for their migraines. Often, he doesn't know what to recommend because there isn't enough information.

"What's really changing now is better science, better research that can help us link the understanding of the receptors for cannabinoids, which are actually within our nervous system and have evolved over hundreds of millions of years, to the possibility of treatment," he said.

People interested in participating in the study should contact Research Coordinator Phirum Nguyen directly at psnguyen@ucsd.edu or 858-822-3108. Participants cannot already be regular marijuana or opioid users. They also must get migraines at least once per month.

This story was originally published by Jared Aarons at KGTV.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Some doctors think there will be a need for a third COVID-19 vaccine "booster" shot.

"At some point, I think it's very likely," said UC San Diego Chief of Infectious Diseases Dr. Davey Smith. "When that point is, I don't know."

A lot is unknown about the need for a booster shot, as the vaccines have only been around for six months. That's barely given researchers time to determine how long they provide complete protection against COVID-19.

Dr. Smith says it's a process that can take years.

"We follow a whole bunch of people who got a vaccine, we measure their immune responses, and then we look and see how often people are getting infected over time," he explains.

"Once we start seeing more infections below a certain level (of antibodies), then we're like, okay, so if somebody has this level of antibody and it dips below that, then perhaps we need a booster at that point," said Dr. Smith.

But measuring antibodies may not be the only indicator of the need for a booster. As the pandemic continues, doctors discover new mutations and variants of COVID-19. There is a strong possibility one of those variants could be resistant to the vaccine, requiring a booster.

"Some of the mutations might be able to evade the immune protection," said Sharp Chula Vista Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Hai Shao. "As a result, our neutralizing antibodies needs to be tweaked, to be made specifically against the new variants of viruses so that the level of protection can be modified and sustained."

Dr. Shao compares it to the flu, where the yearly vaccine includes several variants. He believes there may be a need for that type of vaccine for COVID-19.

"The likelihood is high," Dr. Shao said. "The question is when do we need the first booster, and how often do we need it after that."

In separate interviews last month, the heads of both Pfizer and Moderna said their vaccines would probably need booster shots. They did not specify when.

Current studies show the vaccines offer protection for at least six months and are effective against all known variants.

Research beyond that is ongoing.

In the meantime, Dr. Shao and Dr. Smith say everyone must get their initial doses of the vaccine to help achieve herd immunity.

"It is important for us to focus our attention and make sure that people who have not gotten the vaccine yet get it in time," said Dr. Shao.

"When you get a vaccine, you're protecting your community," said Dr. Smith. "I really want to get that message out."

This story was originally published by Jared Aarons at KGTV.