Covid-19 and antibiotic usage

Easy access cannot be attributed as a sole problem to the rampant use of antimicrobials.

During the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was widespread uncertainty surrounding its potential to claim lives. As there wasn’t any curative treatment for Covid-19, it is crucial to question how the patients were treated and how the uncertainty exerted pressure on using medications without evidence. A recent PLoS Global Public Health study titled “Use of antimicrobials during the Covid-19 pandemic: A qualitative study among stakeholders in Nepal” explored whether and how antimicrobials (antibiotics) were used during the pandemic, and some prominent findings offer us insights to act cautiously for the next pandemic.