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WARNING: Antibiotics don’t work for
viruses like colds and the flu.
Using them for viruses will not make you feel
better or get back to work faster.
Antibiotics are strong medicines. Keep them
that way. Prevent antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotics don’t fight viruses – they fight
bacteria. Using antibiotics for viruses can put you at risk of
getting a bacterial infection that is resistant to antibiotic
treatment. Talk to your doctor or other healthcare
provider about antibiotics, visit
www.cdc.gov/getsmart, or
call 1-888-246-2675 to learn more.
Taking antibiotics for viral infections such as a cold, a
cough, or the flu will NOT:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
www.cdc.gov
Food and Drug Administration
www.fda.gov
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Date created: January 03, 2006 |
