" To paraphrase, I'd personally say: "I need to get rid of that tick that 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 opposed to "free" (it doesn't https://grantsforinsulation.blogspot.com/2024/08/how-can-pensioners-be-benefited-from.html