The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has launched a Keep Antibiotics Working campaign to coincide with World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) from November 18 to 24.
WAAW is a global campaign held annually to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and it encourages best practices among the public, health workers and policymakers, who play a critical role in reducing the further emergence and spread of AMR.
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.
The Keep Antibiotics Working campaign offers a suite of digital, print and social assets to help raise awareness of the correct and incorrect ways to use antibiotics, supporting people to take antibiotics correctly, keep antibiotics working, and tackle AMR.
The UKHSA’s new campaign assets include downloadable posters, social media GIFs, short-form videos and other materials.
The resources are designed to help amplify key messages on the responsible use of antibiotics using the campaign’s mascot, Andi Biotic, a bright red and white pill character.
The campaign highlights three key behaviours that can help tackle antibiotic resistance: Do not take antibiotics for colds and flu – they do not work for viral infections; only take antibiotics when prescribed by a healthcare professional, and always take as directed; never save antibiotics for later or share them with others.
The UKHSA is also encouraging people to make a personal pledge to use antibiotics responsibly by becoming an Antibiotic Guardian at antibioticguardian.com.
UKHSA’s latest English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR) report, published last week, stated that, every week, nearly 400 people are diagnosed with antibiotic-resistant infections in England.
