FactSentinel

Antibiotics are designed to target and kill bacteria, not viruses. These medications work by interfering with specific bacterial processes, such as cell wall formation or protein synthesis—mechanisms that viruses simply do not possess. Viruses operate fundamentally differently from bacteria: they cannot reproduce on their own and instead hijack human cells to replicate. Because of these structural and functional differences, antibiotics have no effect on viral infections like the common cold, flu, COVID-19, or most cases of bronchitis and sore throat.

The scientific and medical consensus on this issue is unequivocal and supported by decades of research. Major health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), consistently emphasize that taking antibiotics for viral infections provides no therapeutic benefit. In fact, unnecessary antibiotic use contributes to antibiotic resistance, a serious global health threat where bacteria evolve to survive antibiotic treatment, making future bacterial infections harder to treat.

A common misconception arises because both bacterial and viral infections can cause similar symptoms like fever, cough, and fatigue. Many people assume that if they feel sick, antibiotics will help them recover faster. However, viral infections typically resolve on their own as the immune system fights off the virus. Healthcare providers may prescribe antibiotics only when a secondary bacterial infection develops or when diagnostic tests confirm a bacterial cause for the illness.