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Experts suggest that the new Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination programme, being rolled out in hospitals and community pharmacies, will not only reduce the burden of RSV infections in England but also contribute to a reduction in antibiotic prescriptions. While antibiotics are ineffective against viruses, they are sometimes prescribed in primary care because it is difficult to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections. A study conducted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Imperial College London, and Oxford Population Health revealed that RSV infections result in 640,000 antibiotic prescriptions a year. The study suggests that interventions to reduce RSV infections, including the new vaccine programme, could lower antibiotic use and, in turn, reduce antibiotic resistance. RSV typically causes mild respiratory symptoms in most individuals, but it can lead to serious illness and hospitalisation in vulnerable groups, such as infants and older adults.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest national surveillance data on antibiotic prescribing and resistance. The English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance (ESPAUR) report showed an increase in antibiotic use in all settings (apart from dental) in 2022. According to the report, antibiotic prescribing rose by 8.4 per cent in 2022 compared with 2021, although the number remains below 2019 pre-pandemic levels. "There are many reasons behind the increase in prescribing, one of which is likely related to decreased immunity and exposure to infections during the COVID-19 pandemic that may have underpinned the increased transmission in co-circulating infections, namely: influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and group A streptococcus (GAS)," the report stated.