Britons are being asked to pledge to be Antibiotic Guardians, as part of a new Government campaign to combat antimicrobial resistance.

The campaign calls on everyone in the UK, including members of the public and healthcare professionals, to choose one simple pledge about how they will help preserve antibiotics for future use.

Research by Public Health England to support the campaign found that four in 10 people believe that antibiotics are effective against viral infections like coughs and colds, while 90 per cent are unaware that antibiotic resistant bacteria can spread easily.

Chief medical officer Dame Sally C. Davies said: “We need to preserve the antibiotics we have, otherwise we could see the end of modern medicine as we know it. This is about appropriate prescribing by GPs and patients being aware when antibiotics are really needed.” Pharmacy teams can become Antibiotic Guardians by visiting: antibioticguardian.com.