Many people still believe that antibiotics can help to treat common illnesses such as colds, the flu and earaches, however this is not the case, the HSE has said.

It has just launched a new online support to help people deal with common illnesses. Undertheweather.ie provides a range of information - from how long an illness should last to practical remedies that can be used.

According to the HSE, learning how to manage these illnesses ‘is a great life skill and improves our understanding of when we need antibiotics and when we don't'.

"The Under the Weather campaign is about ensuring that we only use antibiotics when we really need them. Using antibiotics when they're not necessary can cause harmful side-effects and is a waste of money, but the biggest risk is that it creates stronger, more resistant infections that can make us very ill," commented Health Minister, Leo Varadkar.

He noted that this new resource also provides information on when people should look for support from a pharmacist or a doctor.

Meanwhile, according to HSE director general, Tony O'Brien, antibiotic resistance is a ‘global health threat' that must be tackled.

"We need to ensure that we preserve antibiotics for when they are really needed. For everything else - your common cold and nasty cough - the best advice is on the site," he said.

Also commenting on the new resource, the HSE's director for quality and patient safety, Dr Philip Crowley, noted that the common illnesses covered in this new site ‘are almost always caused by a virus, so an antibiotic is useless'.

"We want to support people to know what to do when they are unwell, and when to get advice from a health professional, but also that antibiotics are almost never the answer when it comes to these common complaints," he said.

The site is supported by the HSE, the Department of Health, the Irish College of General Practitioners and the Irish Pharmacy Union. For more, click here