Upper respiratory tract infections Quiz: Ace Your Exams

A 66-year-old woman presents to the clinic for evaluation of 2 days of fever, body aches, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, and headache. Her medical history is significant for hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. She is a preschool teacher and has been exposed to students with similar symptoms. She does not get annual vaccinations. She is taking over-the-counter cough and cold medication but finds it difficult to sleep well at night due to nasal congestion. She has taken 2 home tests for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) which have been negative. Temperature is 38.4°C (101.2°F), pulse is 90/minute, respiratory rate is 18/minute, blood pressure is 132/82 mmHg, and oxygen saturation is 97% on room air. She is not in acute distress. Oropharyngeal examination reveals erythema of the pharynx, without tonsillar enlargement or exudates. Lungs are clear to auscultation bilaterally. Rapid viral swabs are negative for SARS-CoV-2 and positive for influenza. Which of the following should be recommended to decrease the severity and duration of symptoms in this patient?