{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,18]],"date-time":"2026-01-18T22:02:44Z","timestamp":1768773764367,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,19]],"date-time":"2024-12-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1734566400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Microorganisms"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The world has gone through the COVID-19 pandemic and has now returned to normalcy. We reviewed the strategies and public health actions conducted in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic, and reflected on the lessons learned, which are potentially useful in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We recommended extending wastewater surveillance for AMR, apart from SARS-CoV2. We suggested exploring the use of rapid tests in outpatients to aid clinical diagnosis and reduce antibiotic use for viral infections. Stringent infection control measures are crucial to prevent nosocomial transmission of resistant microorganisms, such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in hospitals and in elderly homes. Taking COVID-19 experiences as a reference, transparent data, the prompt dissemination of information, and strategic risk communication should be adopted to maintain sustained behavioral changes in AMR. We also encouraged the adoption of information technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning in antimicrobial stewardship programs. We also discussed the potential merits and limitations of these strategies. The lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic may provide insights into the long battle against AMR.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms12122635","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,19]],"date-time":"2024-12-19T06:50:44Z","timestamp":1734591044000},"page":"2635","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Pandemic in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance\u2014Experience of Hong Kong, China"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3071-6256","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edmond Siu-Keung","family":"Ma","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Infection Control Branch, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6101-1932","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shuk-Ching","family":"Wong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong, China"},{"name":"Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1765-7706","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vincent Chi-Chung","family":"Cheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong, China"},{"name":"Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China"},{"name":"Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8854-2119","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hong","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infection Control Branch, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1157-9401","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Peng","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China"},{"name":"Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"302","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cmi.2022.12.006","article-title":"Antibiotic resistance associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"29","author":"Langford","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clin. 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