Primary schoolchildren at risk from a severe form of strep A could be given preventive antibiotics as a blanket measure, in a move described as “rare” by health officials.
At least nine children have died due to complications from strep A bacterial infections since September, with one senior health official suggesting the early start to the strep A season in the UK could be a knock-on effect to immunity levels caused by Covid measures, although others have downplayed the impact lockdowns may have had.
Most strep A infections are mild, with a sore throat or a skin infection that can be treated easily with antibiotics the most common characteristics, and deaths are rare.
In extreme cases, strep A can develop into an invasive group A streptococcal infection (iGAS), which can be fatal. Officials have noticed an increase in iGAS cases this year, particularly in children under 10.
