Antimicrobial stewardship program, 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 COVID-19. During this outbreak, we caution that antibiotic misuse may be increased, especially for respiratory tract infections. With stewardship interventions, duration of antibiotic therapy and length of stay of hospitalized patients can be significantly reduced. Antibiotic stewardship programs should continually engage and educate prescribers to mitigate antibiotic misuse during the COVID-19 pandemic.