How to Prevent Antibiotic Resistance

Everyone can help to prevent and stop the spread of antibiotic resistance!

How to prevent getting sick:

• Wash your hands frequently with plain soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially when hands are visibly dirty. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
• Keep the bathroom clean along with other shared surfaces in your home so you avoid spreading germs to others.
• Make sure you and your family have up-to-date vaccinations.

When you get sick:

• Ask your health-care provider questions. Do I have a bacterial infection or a viral infection?
• Let your health-care provider know what antibiotics you’ve used before, and how they worked for you.
• Take antibiotics as directed by your health-care provider. Your antibiotics will come with directions that tell you when to take it, how much to take, and any special notes (for example, if it needs to be taken with food, or kept in the fridge).
• While you’re sick, stay away from other people as much as you can.
• Learn about your illness, and what you can do to avoid getting it again.

How to help family and friends:

• Go to your health-care provider with your family member or friend who is sick if they can’t or won’t ask questions.
• Remind your family member or friend to take the medicine as directed by their health-care provider.
• Wash your hands with plain soap and water:
  • Before and after you provide care to your family member or friend.
  • When you touch items they’ve been in contact with such as dirty sheets or towels.
  • Before putting gloves on and after taking gloves off.