All this time and the medical community still struggles with antibiotic stewardship.

If a secondary infection actually exists, by all means treat it with the appropriate antibiotics. But prophylactically, absent other indications? Knowing how many ways that could go wrong?

On a more anecdotal note, in the last 10 years I have been offered oral antibiotics for, that I can remember, 1) mild acne that was not causing pain, distress or scarring, 2) an uncomplicated skin abscess (sounds like abx might be indicated, but they're typically not), 3) red itchy eyes the cause of which was not determined, 4) a small cut on my thumb that was kind of infected looking but which quickly healed with just soaking in salt water, 4) an uncomplicated outer ear infection (again, sounds like abx might be indicated, but they often aren't), and 5) a sore throat for which no testing was performed.

(If you're wondering why I was at the doctor with such minor ailments if I didn't want them to treat me, it's because I have a couple chronic issues I have regular visits for and they ask general constitutional questions. But some of the antibiotics they've tried to have me take are actually extra contraindicated for a person with my condition. It was a pharmacist who had to tell me that.)