Trends in Outpatient Antibiotic Prescriptions in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020

Statistical significance was set at P < .05.STATA/SE version 16.1 (StataCorp) was used for statistical analysis. ResultsIn quarter 1 of 2020 (ie, January-March), the mean monthly prescription fills of each agent did not significantly differ from anticipated values (Table ).In quarter 2 (ie, April-June), quarter 3 (ie, July-September), and quarter 4 (ie, October-December 2020), the mean monthly amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and doxycycline fills were significantly lower than anticipated (amoxicillin: 25.3%-44.1%;P = .003-.03; amoxicillin-clavulanate: 30.1%-40.0%;P = .005-.02; doxycycline: 17.8%-20.7%;P = .008-.01).Azithromycin fills were significantly lower than anticipated in quarters 2 and quarter 4 (quarter 2: 35.4% decrease; P = .02;quarter 4: 31.8%decrease; P = .03).The decrease in quarter 3 was not significant (22.1% decrease; P = .06).Mean monthly cephalexin fills were 10.1% lower than anticipated in quarter 4 (P = .05);those of clindamycin were 4.8% lower than anticipated in quarter 3 (P = .04).Mean monthly ciprofloxacin fills were 12.2% and 14.3% higher than anticipated in quarters 3 and 4, respectively (P = .001and P = .04).Nitrofurantoin and levofloxacin fills were not significantly different from projections in quarter 2, 3, and 4.