Can I drink alcohol when I have COVID?

Why is drinking a bad idea while you have COVID?

The CDC lists fever or chills, tiredness, muscle or body aches, headache, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea among the possible symptoms of COVID. The NHS says dehydration is more likely if you have a high temperature, have been sick or had diarrhea, or have drunk too much alcohol. When you have COVID, those can stack up.

The NHS advice for dehydration is to drink fluids, start with small sips if you feel sick, and avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol because both will dehydrate you. Water is a good choice. Since the NHS says alcohol dehydrates you, a beer or a glass of wine will not help you get your fluids back.

Rest is the other issue. The NHS lists alcohol as a possible cause of insomnia and advises not drinking alcohol at least 6 hours before bed. A nightcap is not a good way to get the sleep you need to recover.

• Fever: a high temperature makes dehydration more likely
• Vomiting or diarrhea: more fluid loss, and the NHS says to avoid alcohol while you rehydrate
• Poor sleep: the NHS lists alcohol as a cause of insomnia

Can I drink alcohol while taking Paxlovid?

The FDA prescribing information for Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir with ritonavir), revised 2/2026, does not mention alcohol in its warnings or its drug interaction tables. That does not mean drinking is a good idea. You are taking Paxlovid because you have COVID and are at higher risk of getting very sick, and the reasons above still apply.

The label does have points that matter here. Its most common side effects are an altered sense of taste and diarrhea, and diarrhea is one of the things the NHS says makes dehydration more likely. The label also warns that liver enzyme rises, hepatitis, and jaundice have happened in people taking ritonavir, and says to use caution in people who already have liver disease. If you have liver problems, ask your prescriber about alcohol before you drink.

Paxlovid has a boxed warning about serious drug interactions. The patient information says to tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and not to start a new medicine without telling them. That includes any cold medicine you pick up while sick. A pharmacist can check your list.

Paxlovid is taken twice a day for 5 days, with or without food. The label says to start it as soon as possible after diagnosis and within 5 days of when symptoms begin.

• Alcohol: not named in the Paxlovid label
• Liver disease: the label says to use caution; ask before drinking
• Other medicines: tell your prescriber or pharmacist about everything, including over-the-counter cold medicine and sleep aids
• Sleep medicines: the label says some sedatives, such as triazolam and oral midazolam, must not be taken with Paxlovid, and others, such as zolpidem, may need a lower dose

Can I drink alcohol with NyQuil?

No. The Vicks NyQuil Cold and Flu liquid label says to avoid alcoholic drinks, and warns that alcohol, sedatives, and tranquilizers may increase drowsiness. Each 30 mL dose contains acetaminophen 650 mg (the same drug as Tylenol), dextromethorphan 30 mg (a cough suppressant), and doxylamine succinate 12.5 mg (a sedating antihistamine). The label says marked drowsiness may occur.

The liquid also lists alcohol as an inactive ingredient, and the package states "Alcohol 10%". So each dose of NyQuil liquid already contains some alcohol.

The label says not to use NyQuil with any other drug containing acetaminophen, so no Tylenol on top of it. It also says not to use it if you take a prescription MAOI (certain drugs for depression, psychiatric conditions, or Parkinson's disease), or for 2 weeks after stopping one, and to ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you take sedatives or tranquilizers.

NyQuil comes in several versions, and some add other ingredients, such as a decongestant. Read the Drug Facts on your own bottle or box, and do not take a second product that has the same active ingredient.

What about Tylenol, Advil, or Motrin and alcohol?

Tylenol Extra Strength contains acetaminophen 500 mg per caplet. Its liver warning says severe liver damage may occur if you take more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in 24 hours, take it with other drugs containing acetaminophen, or have 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using it. Adults should take 2 caplets every 6 hours and no more than 6 caplets in 24 hours unless a doctor says otherwise. The label says to ask a doctor first if you have liver disease.

The 3-drink line is a warning, not a safe limit. Fewer than 3 drinks a day does not make drinking while sick a good plan. Many cold and flu products also contain acetaminophen, so check every box you take so you do not double up.

Advil and Motrin are both ibuprofen, an NSAID. Advil contains ibuprofen 200 mg per tablet. Its stomach bleeding warning lists having 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using it as one of the things that raise the risk, along with being 60 or older, past ulcers, and taking other NSAIDs such as aspirin or naproxen. Do not stack two NSAIDs. The label says to ask a doctor first if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, or asthma, and to ask a doctor or pharmacist if you take any other drug.

• NyQuil liquid: avoid alcohol completely
• Tylenol (acetaminophen): 3 or more drinks a day adds to liver risk; never add it to NyQuil or another acetaminophen product
• Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen): 3 or more drinks a day adds to stomach bleeding risk; no second NSAID

When is it OK to drink again after COVID?

None of the sources we checked give a set waiting time after COVID. A sensible point to wait for is when your fever is gone, you are eating and drinking normally, you are no longer having vomiting or diarrhea, and you have finished NyQuil and any other cold medicine.

If you are taking Paxlovid or another prescription medicine, or you have liver disease, ask your prescriber or pharmacist before your first drink. Our AI doctor can help you think it through by text and tell you when to check with a clinician. When you do drink again, keep it light and drink water too.