A third of severe influenza cases develop bacterial pneumonia. Which, left untreated, is deadly. I know, because a few years back I developed pneumonia in the wake of a flu, collapsed a lung and almost died. They saved my life in an ICU with antibiotics. If the only metric of relevance is saving lives via medical intervention, prescribing an antibiotic course to everyone that develops cold symptoms is a no brainer. Statistically, such a public health measure will definitely save lives. Taking it a notch further, why don't we just mandate an antibiotic course twice a year for each person, sick or healthy. We'll never lose another life to bacterial pneumonia.
Yet we are very careful to not overuse antibiotics. Why?
Yet we are very careful to not overuse antibiotics. Why?
https://www.pulmonologyadvisor.com/home/topics/pneumonia/bac...