Yahoo Lifestyle Antibiotics: Useless by 2030?
Antibiotics have long be hailed the miracle cure for the flu and infections but, according to health experts, if we continue using them like we currently are, they could become completely useless in twenty years’ time.
More: NPS Common Colds and Flu factsheet
Prevention magazine’s GP Penny Caldicott, talking on The Morning Show, says: “We’ve been using antibiotics very frequently and sometimes inappropriately. Bacteria mutate and become less resistant to these antibiotics and the more frequently we use them, the more resistance we get.”
According to NPS MedicineWise, antibiotics work only on infections caused by bacteria, and not viruses, so they won’t help a cold or flu get better faster, stop it from getting worse, or even prevent it from spreading to other people.
Caldicott suggests the following approach for cold or flu symptoms instead of antibiotics:
• Use tissues
• Wash your hands
• Stay at home and rest
• Take paracetamol
• Decongestant / nasal spray
• Cough suppressant
