A young mum went to nine different pharmacies in a desperate search of antibiotics for her sick child.
Concerns have been raised over a "shortage" in antibiotics following a surge in Strep A cases. Group A Streptococcus is a bacteria that can lead to several other infections from mild to severe.
Around 19 children are thought to have died from Strep A infections in the UK, with cases rising each week. The surge has led to an increase in demand for antibiotics.
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One mum's four-year-old son, from Runcorn, had fallen ill and she was desperate for the right medication, sparking huge concern when she was unable to find anywhere, Cheshire Live reports. Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury urged ministers to "get a grip" of supply issues as he raising concerns of a "shortage".
Speaking in Parliament, Mr Amesbury said: "Last week Hannah, a young mum from the Runcorn part of my constituency, visited nine different pharmacies looking for the appropriate medication for her four-year-old little boy. It was not available, because there is a shortage.
"It is time to be clear and transparent about that. The minister should not be in denial about the reality, she should give those parents and their children reassurance by getting a grip of the situation."
Strep A infections, including scarlet fever and impetigo, are treated with antibiotics, and penicillin is among the most commonly used. The government recently issued a second wave of emergency rule changes to allow pharmacists to supply alternative medicines to treat Strep A infections in an effort to cope supply problems.
The five new serious shortage protocols (SSPs) allow pharmacists to provide patients with alternatives if they don’t have penicillin in stock . In response to Mr Amesbury’s question, Maria Caulfield, Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: "I can give parents struggling to get those antibiotics the reassurance that pharmacies are now able to dispense alternative antibiotics.
"I have read them out, but I can do so again: amoxicillin, clarithromycin, flucloxacillin, cefalexin, co-amoxiclav and erythromycin. We have taken action to make sure that those antibiotics are available to parents."
Strep A
Strep A, or Group A Streptococcus as it’s also known, is a bacteria most commonly found in the throat and nose that can lead to numerous infections such as scarlet fever, tonsillitis and impetigo.
The bacterium is very common and lots of people will have it unknowingly but in some cases, it can spread to others who may have an increased chance of becoming ill from the infection. However, in most cases health issues caused by Strep A are mild.
Common symptoms of Strep A include:
Fever
Swollen tonsils
Pain when swallowing
Tonsils with white patches
Swollen neck glands
High temperature
Skin rash
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