Answer
Antibiotics should never be taken without a prescription. They should be taken only in the case of bacterial infections, for a specific period of time.
Work Step by Step
- The use of antibiotics must be specific. The type of bacteria causing the infection must be known in order to treat it with an antibiotic to which it is sensitive.
- Antibiotic treatment must be complete. The amount of antibiotics that the doctor informs should be taken, in order to ensure the complete elimination of the infectious bacteria.
- Antibiotics, like any medicine, have an expiration date. They should not be consumed after that date.
- Colds are generally caused by viruses, therefore an antibiotic would not be effective as it only works to treat bacterial infections.