Patient Care

Interactive symptom checker

What should you do?
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Hover over the interactive cards below to check your symptoms.
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Tap the interactive cards below to check your symptoms.

Thank you for visiting our website to learn about the illness affecting you or your child, and what your GP can do to help you. Our goal is to provide useful information to help you to know more about the illness, and what treatments are most likely to be helpful.

A girl with runny nose illustration
SYMPTOM

Runny Nose

Runny noses are annoying and if the sinuses are affected it can cause pain in the face.
SYMPTOM

Runny Nose

WHAT IS THE CAUSE?
Runny noses are almost always caused by viruses. Antibiotics don't work for viruses.
WHAT TO DO?
Your doctor will work out what the best treatment is and discuss this with you.
A girl with cough illustration
SYMPTOM

Cough

Coughing caused by a cold can be annoying, painful, and affect your life in many ways.
SYMPTOM

Cough

WHAT IS THE CAUSE?
Most short-term coughs are caused by viruses.
WHAT TO DO?
Your doctor will listen to your breathing to help work out what the best treatment is and discuss this with you.
An illustration of a boy experiences some ear pain
SYMPTOM

Ear Pain

Having pain in your ears is awful. For most people, the best treatment is pain killers such as paracetamol.
SYMPTOM

Ear Pain

WHAT IS THE CAUSE?
Ear pain is often caused by a virus. Antibiotics don't work for viruses.
WHAT TO DO?
It's important your doctor checks the ears to work out what the best treatment is and then discuss this with you.
A boy with sore throat illustration
SYMPTOM

Sore Throat

Strep is a bacteria that can cause sore throats. Strep sore throats in Māori and Pacific children and young people can lead to rheumatic fever. Antibiotic treatment of strep sore throats helps to prevent rheumatic fever.
SYMPTOM

Sore Throat

Strep is a bacteria that can cause sore throats.
Strep sore throats in Māori and Pacific children and young people can lead to rheumatic fever. Because Strep is a bacterial infection it can be killed by antibiotics.
Antibiotics will often be needed to prevent these children and young people from developing rheumatic fever. Your doctor might take a throat swab to find out if the sore throat is caused by Strep.
WHAT IS THE CAUSE?
Most sore throats are not caused by Strep but by viruses. Antibiotics do not work on viruses.
WHAT TO DO?
For most people with sore throat, antibiotics will not be needed. Talk to the doctor about what treatment is best for you or your child’s sore throat.
A boy with sore throat illustration
SYMPTOM

Sore Throat

Strep is a bacteria that can cause sore throats. Strep sore throats in Māori and Pacific children and young people can lead to rheumatic fever. Antibiotic treatment of strep sore throats helps to prevent rheumatic fever.
SYMPTOM

Sore Throat

Strep is a bacteria that can cause sore throats.
Strep sore throats in Māori and Pacific children and young people can lead to rheumatic fever. Because Strep is a bacterial infection it can be killed by antibiotics.
Antibiotics will often be needed to prevent these children and young people from developing rheumatic fever. Your doctor might take a throat swab to find out if the sore throat is caused by Strep.
WHAT IS THE CAUSE?
Most sore throats are not caused by Strep but by viruses. Antibiotics do not work on viruses.
WHAT TO DO?
For most people with sore throat, antibiotics will not be needed. Talk to the doctor about what treatment is best for you or your child’s sore throat.

How do I keep antibiotics working for myself and everyone?

ANTIBIOTIC EFFECTIVENESS

Antibiotics can be helpful for illnesses caused by bacteria, but are never helpful for illnesses caused by viruses.

First aid kit icon

When antibiotics do not work against the bacteria that cause infections, this is called antibiotic resistance.

Receipt icon

Antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem in New Zealand. We currently have the 5th highest rate of antibiotic use in the world. If we continue this high rate of use we will have very high rates of antibiotic resistance.

Heart icon

The more antibiotics are used, the more likely bacteria will develop resistance, and the less antibiotics will work for you and your Whānau.

Speech icon

Never use antibiotics to treat viruses as antibiotics do not work for viruses.

Open hand and cross icon

Don’t take antibiotics when they are not needed. This will keep our rates of antibiotic resistance low so these precious medicines continue to work for yourself and everyone.

ANTIBIOTIC EFFECTIVENESS

Antibiotics can be helpful for illnesses caused by bacteria, but are never helpful for illnesses caused by viruses.

First aid kit icon

When antibiotics do not work against the bacteria that cause infections, this is called antibiotic resistance.

Receipt icon

Antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem in New Zealand. We currently have the 5th highest rate of antibiotic use in the world. If we continue this high rate of use we will have very high rates of antibiotic resistance.

Heart icon

The more antibiotics are used, the more likely bacteria will develop resistance, and the less antibiotics will work for you and your Whānau.

Speech icon

Never use antibiotics to treat viruses as antibiotics do not work for viruses.

Open hand and cross icon

Don’t take antibiotics when they are not needed. This will keep our rates of antibiotic resistance low so these precious medicines continue to work for yourself and everyone.

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Together for Better Health

Keep Antibiotics Working

By joining our mission, you help promote responsible antibiotic use, protect public health, and ensure a brighter future for all.

Together for Better Health

Keep Antibiotics Working

By joining our mission, you help promote responsible antibiotic use, protect public health, and ensure a brighter future for all.