It’s that time again—cold and flu season!
If you get sick, antibiotics won’t always help you. If you get a cold or flu, they could do more harm than good. That’s because these are viral infections, and antibiotics only cure bacterial infections. Every time you take them, they kill sensitive bacteria, but resistant germs can survive to grow and multiply. These resistant germs are called “antibiotic-resistant,” and they can lead to severe infections, hospitalizations, and death, especially among people over 65.
Here are 3 things you can do to make sure you’re using antibiotics the right way:
- Always talk to your doctor before taking an antibiotic to be sure it will treat the infection you have.
- Take antibiotics only to treat bacterial infections. It should be for only as long as your doctor prescribed to treat the infection, to reduce your risk of getting the infection again, or to reduce the risk to those around you.
- Never take antibiotics for a viral infection, like a cold, cough, or flu. Antibiotics won’t cure your virus, they won’t keep those around you from getting sick, and they won’t help you feel better. In fact, takingthem when you have a virus may increase your risk of getting an antibiotic-resistant infection later.
Antibiotics won’t help you recover from a cold or flu, but you can keep yourself from catching the major flu viruses by getting your flu shot! It’s free for people with Medicare, once per flu season when given by doctors or other health care providers (like senior centers and pharmacies) that take Medicare.
Keep your body strong against germs and infections, and learn when antibiotics can work for you!
Still have questions about Medicare and coverage? For more information, or to speak to a friendly, licensed agent contact us HERE.
