Doctors: 50% of antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory illnesses may be unnecessary

With the frigid weather setting in, more people will be inside which is when respiratory infections are more likely to spread. Today there are renewed warnings about the widespread misuse of antibiotics. Mackenzie Meyer has a sore throat and a cough. "It persisted for 5 days, I decided to stop in and make sure it wasn't strep," she said. Her doctor determined it was not strep throat, which is a bacterial infection, but more likely a virus which is not treated with antibiotics. "Viral infections don't respond to antibiotics because antibiotics are targeted specifically at bacteria," Dr. Henry Fairmow explained.