PHO Rounds - Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance: Antimicrobial stewardship amid the COVID-19 pandemic

The impact of COVID-19 on antimicrobial use and resistance continues to evolve. This session will provide new insights into how COVID-19 has impacted hospital antimicrobial stewardship programs and present the most recent findings of a rapid review on bacterial co-infections and secondary infections in patients with COVID-19. Implications for antimicrobial stewardship programs will be discussed.

Intended audience: Clinicians (Pharmacists, Physicians, Nurses) in all healthcare settings. Public Health practitioners and researchers with an interest in infectious diseases and COVID-19.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the potential impact of COVID-19 on antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance.
2. Explain rapid review findings on bacterial co-infection and secondary infection in patients with COVID-19.
3. Discuss how COVID-19 has impacted antibiotic stewardship programs globally.
4. Describe how COVID-19 has impacted hospital antimicrobial stewardship programs in Ontario.