Issue Brief. Washington DC: Pew Charitable Trust; March 2021.
Antibiotic overuse is a contributor to nosocomial infection. This report discusses problems associated with antibiotic prescribing during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Systemic problems arising from the situation include disparities associated with antibiotic administration and unneeded receipt of medications by some patients.
Antibiotic overuse is a long-standing safety concern due to the potential global public health impact of the practice in supporting drug-resistant bacteria. This news article discusses the overprescribing of antibiotics in context of viral disease pandemics.