Table 1. Comparison of rates of prescription of doxycycline and azithromycin in 2020 with 2019. In people aged ≥65 years there was a decrease in doxycycline use but an increase in azithromycin prescription. Lower respiratory tract infection and upper respiratory tract infection incidence fell across all age bands and both sexes. Influenza-like illness was much more similar between years.
Age, years20192020
FemaleMaleFemaleMale
Antibiotic rates per 100000 patients (95% CI) Doxy.<1621.74(20.4 to 23.2)17.75(16.5 to 19.0)19.12(17.8 to 20.5)15.96(14.8 to 17.2)
16–64385.28(382.1 to 388.5)231.99(229.6 to 234.4)380.15(377.8 to 383.3)222.57(220.2 to 224.9)
≥651136.15(1126.4 to 1145.9)1038.78(1028.6 to 1048.9)968.28(959.3 to 977.3)913.57(904.1 to 923.1)
Azith.<1656.89(54.6 to 59.2)67.50(65.1 to 69.9)53.29(51.1 to 55.5)75.91(73.4 to 78.5)
16–6470.02(68.7 to 71.4)39.39(38.4 to 40.4)70.69(69.4 to 72.1)40.77(39.8 to 41.8)
≥65305.17(300.1 to 310.3)288.43(283.1 to 293.9)339.13(333.8 to 344.5)307.59(302.1 to 313.2)
Respiratory disease rates per 100000 patients (95% CI) LRTI <16229.25(224.67 to 233.82)292.18(287.1 to 297.2)68.43(65.9 to 70.9)90.9(88.1 to 93.8)
16–64191.30(189.1 to 193.54)126.84(125.0 to 128.6)81.45(79.9 to 82.9)53.2(52.0 to 54.4)
≥65609.27(602.05 to 616.5)568.32(560.8 to 575.8)267.9(263.2 to 272.8)268.0(262.9 to 273.2)
URTI <161320.33(1309.5 to 1331.3)1349.86(1339.1 to 1360.7)485.15(455.0 to 467.7)493.1(486.6 to 499.7)
16–64485.65(482.1 to 489.2)229.3(226.9 to 231.8)265.73(254.9 to 260.1)117.38(115.7 to 119.1)
≥65285.17(280.3 to 290.1)208.6(204.1 to 213.2)148.01(144.5 to 151.6)104.61(101.4 to 107.9)
ILI <1619.30(17.1 to 19.7)20.78(19.5 to 22.2)16.38(15.2 to 17.7)16.23(15.1 to 17.5)
16–6432.57(30.8 to 32.6)22.15(21.4 to 22.9)37.68(36.7 to 38.7)21.86(21.1 to 22.6)
≥6525.40(28.2 to 31.7)22.18(20.7 to 23.7)29.41(27.9 to 31.0)24.38(22.9 to 25.9)
  • a95% confidence intervals. Azith = azithromycin. Doxy = doxycycline. ILI = influenza-like illness. LRTI = lower respiratory tract infections. URTI = upper respiratory tract infections.