" To put it differently, I might say: "I need to remove that tick which is been biting me all day." I would not say: "I need to be free from that tick." And that's why I'd personally use "rid of" with a cold, as an alternative to "free" (it https://homeinsulationgrant.politics.blog/2025/07/20/solar-energy-grants-uk-government-support-for-greener-homes/