Cold · Flu · Sinus infection

A cold doctor that knows when antibiotics will help, and when they won't.

Most upper respiratory infections are viral and clear on their own. Clara's AI reads your symptoms, timeline, and chart, and only recommends an antibiotic when it's clinically indicated.

Get started How it works

Sore throat, runny nose, mild cough for 4 days. No fever today. Should I be on antibiotics?

Clara

Four days of sore throat with no fever is a textbook viral URI; IDSA and ACP recommend against antibiotics. Treat with acetaminophen, saline rinse, and fluids. If facial pressure worsens past day 10 or fever hits 102°F, we'll reconsider.

What are the red flags that mean I should go in?

How it works

Honest triage first. Symptom relief second. Antibiotics only when they actually help.

Describe your symptoms

Tell Clara when symptoms started, what hurts, whether there's fever, and what you've already tried. Clara auto-pulls your chart, allergies, and current medications from 150,000+ connected sources.

AI clinical reasoning

Clara recognizes the pattern, pneumonia, strep, influenza, COVID, bacterial sinusitis, or viral URI, against the symptom timeline, vitals if available, and your history. It screens red flags in real time.

Clinical sign-off or handoff

For symptom management and the few cases where antibiotics are indicated (e.g., bacterial sinusitis per IDSA criteria), a licensed physician signs off. For red flags (high fever, hypoxia, chest pain, severe dehydration), Clara sends you to in-person care.

Treatments

What actually works for a cold, and what doesn't.

OTC · Symptom relief

Acetaminophen or ibuprofen

For fever, sore throat, and headache. Acetaminophen 650–1000 mg every 6 hours or ibuprofen 400 mg every 6–8 hours are standard adult dosing. Clara checks your kidney function and current medications for interactions before recommending.

OTC

First-line symptom control for viral URI

OTC · Congestion

Saline rinse & pseudoephedrine

Saline irrigation helps clear nasal congestion without rebound. Pseudoephedrine 30–60 mg every 4–6 hours is the more effective oral decongestant; Clara screens for hypertension, coronary disease, and current BP medications before recommending.

OTC

Chart-checked for BP/cardiac contraindications

Rx · Flu (early)

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) for influenza

Most useful within 48 hours of flu symptom onset, where it shortens illness by roughly 1 day on average². Clara assesses timing, risk factors (age, pregnancy, chronic lung/heart disease), and pulls your flu-vaccine history, then drafts a prescription when clinically appropriate.

Considered within 48 hours of flu onset

Rx · Bacterial sinusitis

Amoxicillin–clavulanate

Reserved for IDSA-defined acute bacterial sinusitis: symptoms lasting >10 days without improvement, severe onset with high fever and purulent discharge, or a clear "double-sickening" pattern³. Clara explicitly applies these criteria rather than prescribing to every sinus complaint.

Only when bacterial sinusitis criteria are met

Rx · Strep throat

Penicillin or amoxicillin for confirmed strep

Strep throat requires a positive rapid antigen or culture. Clara routes you to an urgent care or pharmacy for the test rather than prescribing blind; once confirmed, Clara can start a standard penicillin course.

Diagnosed by test, not over chat

Supportive · In-person referral

When Clara sends you in

Shortness of breath at rest, chest pain, fever above 102°F lasting more than 72 hours, hypoxia, severe dehydration, or concern for pneumonia all need in-person evaluation. Clara won't diagnose what requires a stethoscope, pulse oximeter, or chest X-ray.

Refer

Honest handoff, not prescription roulette

Why Clara

A URI visit that doesn't end with an antibiotic you didn't need.

	Clara	Teladoc	Amwell	CVS MinuteClinic Virtual	Your doctor
AI response time	✓ Instant, 24/7	Scheduled video visit	Scheduled video visit	Scheduled, often minutes	Days–weeks
Reads your full chart & med list	✓ Every message	Patient-supplied summary	If EHR-integrated via health system	Portions via MyChart	If your PCP
Same doctor / same AI every visit	✓ Same AI	Provider pool	Provider pool	Provider pool	Yes
Cost	Free to start; $25/mo membership for Rx & labs	$0–$99/visit (plan-dependent)	Per-visit, plan-dependent	$107–$164 cash-pay per visit	$150+ copay
Prescription may be covered by your insurance	✓ Sent to your pharmacy	✓	✓	✓	✓
Follows antibiotic-stewardship guidelines	✓ Explicit	Provider-dependent	Provider-dependent	Provider-dependent	Provider-dependent
Full primary care access	✓ One membership	✓ Primary care add-on	Via partnered system	Per-visit only	✓

The AI difference

A cold isn't a prescription problem. It's a "what's actually going on?" problem.

The clinical work in a URI visit is pattern recognition against the patient's history, antibiotic stewardship, and honest triage. The time a human provider has to do that work in a 7-minute telehealth slot is the binding constraint. It is not the binding constraint for Clara's AI.

Pattern recognition at scale

Clara recognizes viral URI, influenza, bacterial sinusitis, strep, and early pneumonia patterns against your timeline and prior illnesses, then applies the IDSA criteria rather than defaulting to a z-pack.

Instant answer at 2am

A fever at 11pm on a Tuesday doesn't need to wait for an 8:30am callback. Clara answers right now with substantive clinical reasoning, then our doctor signs off if a prescription is indicated.

Handoff you can trust

Shortness of breath or a worsening chest exam doesn't belong in a chat. Clara routes you to in-person care and coordinates follow-up afterward through ongoing AI primary care.

Common questions

Cold, flu, and sinus questions patients ask.

What does Clara cost?

It's free to connect your medical records and start chatting with Clara. If you want Clara to provide medical advice, prescribe medications, or order labs, plans start at $25/month. All plans are HSA/FSA eligible. The cost of medications and lab work is separate and may be covered by your insurance.

How is Clara different from Teladoc or CVS MinuteClinic Virtual?

Teladoc and CVS MinuteClinic Virtual are scheduled video visits with whichever provider is available that shift. Their providers read a patient-supplied summary, not a continuously synced record of your labs, prior illnesses, and allergies. Clara's AI holds that full chart in context every time you message, which matters for a URI visit because "have you had this cough before?", "what antibiotics have you tolerated?", and "have you ever had recurrent sinus infections?" are the questions that change the plan. Can your old telehealth visit read your entire chart and your last five URI notes every time? Clara can. Clara's visit also costs $0 to start (free AI chat), vs. CVS's $107–$164 cash-pay per visit or a Teladoc copay, and the AI answers at 2am without an appointment.

When should I skip Clara and go in person?

Shortness of breath at rest, chest pain, hypoxia (home pulse oximeter below ~94%), fever above 102°F lasting more than 72 hours, coughing blood, severe dehydration, stiff neck, or confusion all need in-person evaluation. Clara will tell you this directly rather than keep chatting, because these are exams that require a stethoscope, chest X-ray, or lab testing.

Why won't Clara just prescribe me a Z-pack?

Because azithromycin doesn't treat a virus. Roughly 90% of acute respiratory infections are viral¹, and unnecessary antibiotic use fuels resistance, disrupts your gut flora, and carries real risks (C. difficile colitis, QT prolongation with azithromycin). Clara follows the IDSA and ACP guidelines: antibiotics when a bacterial pattern is clearly present, not as a "just in case" on a viral URI. If your symptoms meet bacterial sinusitis or strep criteria, Clara can start an appropriate antibiotic course.

What about Tamiflu? Does it actually work for the flu?

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is most useful when started within 48 hours of flu symptom onset in patients at higher risk of complications (over 65, pregnant, asthma, COPD, immunocompromise, chronic heart or kidney disease). It shortens influenza by roughly one day on average². Clara checks your chart for those risk factors and current symptom timing and prescribes where clinically appropriate. If your symptoms suggest COVID-19 instead, different antivirals apply.

Can Clara test me for strep or the flu?

Not at home. Rapid strep and flu testing require either a pharmacy partner, an urgent care, or a home test kit. Clara can order the right test, route you to a pharmacy that carries it, or honestly hand you off to an in-person visit. Once a positive result comes back, Clara drafts the treatment plan and our doctor signs off.

Is Clara a real medical practice?

Yes. Clara is licensed in all 50 states. Every prescription, lab order, and diagnosis is reviewed and signed off by a licensed physician. Clara's AI handles intake, clinical reasoning, triage, and follow-up; our clinicians provide the medical oversight required by state law.

What is my data used for?

Clara is HIPAA compliant. Your records are used to personalize your care and are never sold or used to train public AI models.

Can I use Clara for other health issues too?

Yes. Clara is full-service AI-first primary care. One membership covers URIs alongside allergies, asthma, UTIs, chronic conditions, labs, and preventive care.