UK Health Secretary Says Strep A Antibiotics Are in Good Supply While Pharmacies Report Shortages

Health secretary Steve Barclay reports that Strep A antibiotics are in good supply while pharmacies contest the claim.

Amidst a recent outbreak of Group A Streptococcus, which Tech Times report has claimed the lives of children, pharmacies in the UK report that supplies of antibiotics, namely penicillin and amoxicillin, are running low.

However, UK Health Secretary Steve Barclay tells BBC News that they have communicated with medical suppliers and reported no shortage of antibiotics for Strep A. While they admit that there is a spike in demand for antibiotics, stocks have moved accordingly to supply pharmacies.

UK Pharmacists Slam Back at Health Secretary's Claims

Following the UK health secretary's statement, the chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, Leyla Hannbeck, weighed in on the Strep A situation.

Hannbeck shared that pharmacists all over the nation were complaining that they could not refill several different types of antibiotics in addition to dealing with irate clients who they claimed had been misled by the health secretary, according to The Guardian.

"The government can say what they want but we are on the frontline and we know what's happening," Leyla Hannbeck said. "I want to make it very clear the frustration among healthcare professionals because we don't want to let our patients down, we have people coming in, parents, we just need to have better planning. Our hands are very tied, the government has to act now."

The UK's Recent Strep A Outbreak

Several children in Britain have recently passed away after being diagnosed with invasive Group A streptococcus, according to the New York Times, raising the alarm for schools and causing parents to take immediate action.

The recent spike in Strep A cases among school-aged children has led to an increase in the demand for penicillin and amoxicillin. Independent pharmacies claim they cannot replace their antibiotic supplies because wholesalers claim there is no supply.

Strep A Symptoms and How to Prevent It

If left untreated, strep throat can lead to complications like kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever. A specific kind of rash, heart valve damage, and painful, inflamed joints can all be symptoms of rheumatic fever.

According to Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms of strep throat can include the following:

• Sudden throat pain
• Painful swallowing
• Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus
• Tiny red spots on the area at the back of the roof of the mouth
• Swollen, tender lymph nodes in your neck
• Fever
• Headache
• Rash
• Nausea or vomiting, especially in younger children
• Body aches

Additionally, since Group A streptococcus is highly contagious, it spreads through close contact with an infected person.

Health officials warn the public of having close contact with infected persons as it could spread through a number of different channels, such as coughs, sneezes, or by coming into contact with a wound.