Finns' knowledge of antibiotics 2022

Antibiotics are medications that can kill or hinder the growth of bacteria which cause infections in people and animals. Antibiotics are not used to treat viruses. In 2022, 31 percent of Finnish respondents incorrectly answered when asked if antibiotics could kill viruses. At the same time, nearly 90 percent of respondents answered correctly when asked if antibiotics were effective against cold or flu, while over 95 percent of respondents answered correctly when asked if unnecessary use of antibiotics could make them ineffective.