People have been cautioned against taking a widely-used medication for flu or cold symptoms. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a crucial advisory regarding antibiotics.

Antibiotics are medicines specifically formulated to tackle bacterial infections. They work by either destroying bacteria or preventing their development and reproduction.

This assists the body's natural defence system in clearing the infection. However, it's essential to recognise that antibiotics don't work against viral infections.

These infections include conditions such as colds, flu, and COVID-19. In a statement posted on social media platform X, the UKHSA said: "Antibiotics don't work for colds and flu - pharmacists can advise you on how to treat your symptoms."

The organisation additionally recommended that people follow these "simple" principles concerning antibiotics:

• Don't take them for colds or flu


• Don't save them for later


• Take as directed

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This guidance comes as flu cases have been climbing across the UK. Recent figures from the UKHSA revealed that during the week ending December 7, flu positivity rose in England with a weekly average positivity rate of 21 per cent compared with 17 per cent the previous week.

Hospital admissions caused by flu similarly increased to 10.05 per 100,000 people, compared with 8.09 per 100,000.

The alert also follows the release of the UKHSA'sEnglish Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR) report in November this year. In the report it revealed that approximately 400 people receive diagnoses of antibiotic-resistant infections each week across England.

Such infections prove more difficult to treat and may lead to serious health complications. Experts believe that overuse of antibiotics in recent times has made them "less effective", contributing to the development of "superbugs".

The NHS explains that these are strains of bacteria which have built up immunity to multiple antibiotic treatments, such as:

• MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)


• Clostridium difficile (C. diff)


• the bacteria that cause multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis

The NHS warned: "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."

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

When your GP provides you with antibiotics, it's essential to adhere to the guidance exactly, making sure not to miss any doses.

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 mustn't take a double dose to makeup for a missed one.