Reducing Antibiotic Prescription: Insights by Murashko
In a lively exchange at the UN's antimicrobial resistance discussion on the 29th of April, Murashko sheds light on the adverse effects of excessive and careless antiviral drug usage during the pandemic. He warns about the emergence of drug-resistant strains as a consequence, stating, "We're now facing the resistance to antimicrobial, perhaps even antiviral drugs due to the escape of strains from certain drugs."
He further elaborates that future COVID-19 vaccines could become our allies against antimicrobial resistance. As widespread vaccination reduces the population's vulnerability to the virus, the necessity for antibiotics can be significantly curtailed, as per the health minister's explanation, with RIA Novosti reporting on the matter.
Earlier, Murashko shed some light on who might be more susceptible to complications post-COVID-19. According to the minister, the COVID-19 virus holds twice the risk of complications when compared to seasonal flu and other respiratory diseases. Upon recovery, patients may encounter neurological and psychiatric complications.
Now, let's delve deeper. While vaccines don't directly strike at antimicrobial resistance, they indirectly contribute by lessening the gravity and wider distribution of COVID-19, subsequently decreasing the demand for antibiotics and hospitalizations. Here's how:
- Decreased Hospital Admissions: Reducing the number of severe COVID-19 cases through vaccination means fewer hospitalizations. This reduction translates to fewer opportunities for antimicrobial-resistant infections to take root, as hospitals harbor a higher risk of such infections developing[1][4].
- Lower Antibiotic Intake: Vaccines help diminish the need for broad-spectrum antibiotics, often used for treating secondary infections in COVID-19 patients. Less antibiotic consumption slows the development of antimicrobial resistance[2][4].
- Healthcare System Ease: By alleviating stress on healthcare systems, vaccines enable more stringent infection control measures, playing a crucial role in averting antimicrobial-resistant infections[1][4].
- Public Health Policies: Vaccine implementation coincides with broader public health strategies that aim to curb the spread of diseases, ultimately minimizing antimicrobial-resistant infections through reduced antibiotic use in the general population[1][4].
In essence, while COVID-19 vaccines don't target antimicrobial resistance explicitly, they contribute indirectly by easing the burden of COVID-19 on healthcare systems and potentially limiting antibiotic use.
- The US health minister, Murashko, suggests that future COVID-19 vaccines could act as a shield against not only the virus but also antimicrobial resistance.
- As a result of widespread vaccination, the usage of antibiotics for treating secondary infections in COVID-19 patients could be significantly decreased, thereby slowing the development of antimicrobial resistance.
- In addition to combatting COVID-19, vaccines also indirectly aid in mental health and wellness by reducing the demand for neurological-disorders treatments related to secondary infections.
- CBD, a compound known for its therapeutic benefits, could potentially be used in conjunction with therapies and treatments for migraines, a neurological disorder, in patients who have recovered from COVID-19, as antimicrobial resistance levels are lower due to vaccination efforts.
