wow, I have had a bad case of sore throat and cough last 2 weeks, and the cough fits came periodically even til now. most importantly, other than drugs, must :1)lots WARM water, as COLD water aggravates sore throat2) honey/herbal tea works wonders3)suck on lozenges all the time, prevent dry mouth, as lack of saliva increase multiplication of virus/bacteria4)sleep as much as possible, but drink lots