Residents of the UK are being cautioned against using a common medication for flu and cold symptoms. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a critical alert about the use of antibiotics.

Antibiotics are medications specifically intended to treat or prevent bacterial infections. They work by either killing the bacteria or by stopping their growth and reproduction.

This process aids the body’s own immune defenses in fighting off the infection. However, it’s important to note that antibiotics do not work against viral infections.

Viral infections encompass illnesses such as the common cold, flu, and COVID-19. The UKHSA shared a message on the social media platform X, stating: “Antibiotics don’t work for colds and flu – pharmacists can advise you on how to treat your symptoms.”

The agency also recommended that the public follow these “simple” guidelines regarding the use of antibiotics:

• Don’t take them for colds or flu
• Don’t save them for later
• Take as directed

This guidance is particularly timely as flu cases are on the rise in the UK. According to the latest data from the UKHSA, in the week leading up to December 7, the flu positivity rate in England rose to a weekly average of 21 percent, up from 17 percent the previous week.

Hospital admissions due to flu also rose to 10.05 per 100,000 people, compared with 8.09 per 100,000.

Antibiotic-resistant infections

The warning also follows the publication of the UKHSA’s English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR) report in November this year. The report disclosed that nearly 400 people are diagnosed with antibiotic-resistant infections weekly in England.

These infections are more challenging to manage and can result in severe complications. It is speculated that the excessive consumption of antibiotics in recent years has rendered them “less effective”, leading to the emergence of “superbugs”. 

According to the NHS, these are variants of bacteria that have developed resistance to numerous types of antibiotics, including:

• MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
• Clostridium difficile (C. diff)
• the bacteria that cause multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis

The NHS said: “These types of infections can be serious and challenging to treat, and are becoming an increasing cause of disability and death across the world. The biggest worry is that new strains of bacteria may emerge that cannot be treated by any existing antibiotics.”

Find out about the symptoms you need to watch out for and get health advice with our free health newsletter from the Daily Express

Dr Alicia Demirjian, consultant epidemiologist and clinical lead for antimicrobial resistance and prescribing at the UKHSA, stated: “Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats facing modern medicine, but the good news is we can all do something about it.”

Should a GP prescribe you antibiotics, it is crucial to follow the instructions precisely, ensuring no doses are skipped. The NHS warns: “If you forget to take a dose of your antibiotics, check the patient information leaflet that came with your medicine to find out what to do. If you’re not sure, speak to a pharmacist or a GP.

“In most cases, you can take the dose you missed as soon as you remember and then continue to take your course of antibiotics as normal. But if it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule.”

You must not take a double dose to compensate for one you have missed.