#i didnt think being raised by a microbiologist affected my childhood THAT much

[captainlordauditor]

There are no treatments for the common cold other than home remedies and symptom treatments. It is, as the original post states, viral. Antibiotics won't do shit. And because the "common cold" is actually several different viruses that all present similarly, no antivirals have been developed for it.

If I have reason to think it might be influenza or strep throat, then yes, I will go to the doctor, but I know my body well enough to know that strepthroat and influenza present differently for me. The only thing I would accomplish by going to the doctor is giving the cold to other people, who might already have illnesses causing strain on their bodies. If I have flu symptoms - body aches! those are a flu symptom people, it's not just a bad cold - then yes, I will double mask and see if I can get Tamiflu. But there's no need to do that if all I have is clogged sinuses. If it doesn't get better at all after 4-5 days or so, then yes, that's another case where I would go to the doctor, because it might not be a cold. It might be something that is treatable with antivirals or antibiotics in that case.

And I am BAFFLED by "take a Covid test" not being an option on this poll. The one time I had Covid it felt more like influenza than a cold, but I'm very aware that the strains are constantly evolving. It's the first thing I do when I'm sick. If a Covid test comes up positive, I'm canceling any appointments I have for the next week and getting groceries delivered or contactless pickup. Even if I feel fine I'm not spreading that shit to other people.