Health officials are urging members of the public to think twice, follow your doctor’s advice and don’t take antibiotics when you don’t need them, is the advice being given to residents by doctors and healthcare professionals across the county.

Antibiotic resistance is a serious global problem and taking antibiotics when you don’t need them is putting you and your family at risk. That’s why doctors and healthcare professionals across Herefordshire are supporting the national public health campaign ‘keep antibiotics working’ launched recently.

Dr Paul Harris, Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group Prescribing Lead, said: “We are urging everyone to think twice before asking for antibiotics for themselves or the people they care for when they don’t need them and not to expect antibiotics every time they visit a GP with an infection.

“Antibiotics can’t work for viral infections such as a cold or flu and taking antibiotics when you have a viral infection will strip away your protective bacteria, making you more vulnerable to other infections. It also means that antibiotics are less likely to work in the future for you or your family. If you have a minor illness, rest, keep warm, drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, and visit your local pharmacy instead of your GP for advice on medicines you can take at home.”

Alison Johnson, Wye Valley NHS Trust’s consultant microbiologist, added: “It is predicted that in just over 30 years, antibiotic resistance will kill more people than cancer and diabetes combined and could increase the risk of infection for patients undergoing routine operations like hip replacements.”See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.