Staying hygienic may cut use of antibiotics by 30 per cent

New Delhi : In the world fighting with coronavirus pandemic, keeping hygienic environment is the key to stay protected and a bonus thing that comes attached to it is that it will help in reducing the intake of antibiotics to up to 30 per cent.

According to a study, the global public health experts have claimed that maintaining basic hygiene routines like washing hands can reduce hundreds of thousands of deaths from AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance) globally each year.

The findings from the study have been published in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC).

As noticed during the coronavirus pandemic across the globe, washing hands regularly is the first line of defense in reducing the spread of common infections. 

The position paper, developed on behalf of the Global Hygiene Council (GHC) and published online in AJIC, explores the role of targeted hygiene in the home and everyday life settings to reduce antibiotic prescribing and its likely impact on antibiotic resistance.

There are enough evidences to prove that with proper hygiene and less infections, the demand of antibiotics have also reduced.

One intervention study demonstrated a 30 percent reduction of antibiotic prescriptions for common respiratory infections in a group who used hand sanitisers compared with a control group.

Lead author, Jean-Yves Maillard, Professor of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, at Cardiff University, said, “In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic and evidence presented in this paper, it is more urgent than ever for policymakers to recognise the role of community hygiene to minimise the spread of infections, which in turn will help in reducing the consumption of antibiotics and help the fight against AMR.”