Health experts across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are highlighting the importance of reducing the use of antibiotics where appropriate to ensure they work when we really need them.
Today, Friday 18 November, marks the start of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week which runs each year from 18 – 24 November. The week is all about raising awareness of antibiotic resistance and why reducing our use of antibiotics is important to everyone.
Neil Hardy, Associate Director for Medicines Optimisation at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, said: “If you, or your child, become unwell with a viral infection this winter, such as a cold or stomach bug and most sore throats and coughs, antibiotics won’t help you get better sooner. These infections usually get better on their own with rest, fluids and over-the-counter remedies.
“Antibiotics are essential for treating or preventing certain bacterial infections, and it is so important we save them for when they are really needed. Overuse of antibiotics means that the bacteria can become resistant, and antibiotics stop working. This resistance not only impacts the person with the infection, but also the whole population who might require these antibiotics in the future.
“So always take your doctor’s advice on antibiotics and speak to your GP practice team or local pharmacy if you need any advice.”
You can also support your local NHS and help you, and those around you, stay well this winter by:
- washing your hands regularly with soap and water (especially before eating, after going to the toilet, and after coughing/sneezing)
- checking you and your family have had all your immunisations
- catching coughs/sneezes in a tissue (and binning it)
- only taking antibiotics when you need them, when advised by your GP
- following your GPs advice if you are prescribed antibiotics, by always taking them as advised and never sharing them with others.
For more information, and for ways to join the fight against antibiotic resistance, please visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/antibiotics.
Parents and young people can also find a wealth of winter health advice on many common conditions on the Healthier Together website at https://what0-18.nhs.uk/.