Antimicrobial stewardship programme: a vital resource for hospitals during the global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Healthcare resources are being diverted for the containment and control of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). During this outbreak, it is cautioned that antibiotic misuse may be increased, especially for respiratory tract infections. With stewardship interventions, the duration of antibiotic therapy and length of stay of hospitalized patients can be reduced significantly. Antibiotic stewardship programmes should continually engage and educate prescribers to mitigate antibiotic misuse during the COVID-19 pandemic. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd and International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.