Table 3. Azithromycin prescribing in cases of COVID-19. For each unit rise in COVID-19 cases there has been a 3% rise in azithromycin prescriptions. Aged ≥65 years, female sex, being more deprived, northern regions, lower respiratory tract infections or influenza-like-illness infections are all associated with a higher rate of prescribing.

Azithromycin prescribing rate	IRR	Lower	Upper	P
95% CI	95% CI
COVID-19 confirmed count	1.03	1.02	1.03	<0.0001
Age band (reference level: 0–15)
16–64	0.25	0.20	0.31	<0.0001
≥65	10.95	8.67	13.83	<0.0001
Sex (reference level: F)	0.54	0.45	0.65	<0.0001
IMD quintile (reference level: Q1 most deprived)
Q2	0.54	0.41	0.72	<0.0001
Q3	0.41	0.31	0.55	<0.0001
Q4	0.54	0.41	0.72	<0.0001
Q5 (least deprived)	0.66	0.50	0.88	0.0048
NHS region (reference: London)
The Midlands and East	5.73	4.28	7.69	<0.0001
North East and Yorkshire	12.88	9.18	18.07	<0.0001
North West	10.31	7.34	14.49	<0.0001
South East	2.82	2.01	3.96	<0.0001
South West	1.41	1.01	1.98	0.0453
Respiratory disease
LRTI count	1.94	1.92	1.97	<0.0001
URTI count	0.89	0.88	0.90	<0.0001
ILI count	1.60	1.54	1.68	<0.0001

ILI = influenza-like-illness. IMD = Index of Multiple Deprivation. LRTI = lower respiratory tract infections. URTI = upper respiratory tract infections.