Children should wear face masks in classrooms in order to contain Strep A, according to an expert as the killer bug continues to sweep Britain.
Nine youngsters have already died of the usually-harmless infections this winter, with cases currently five times higher than pre-Covid among kids. Although the death toll is low, officials admit it is higher than expected.
Health bosses are trying to contain the bug, with antibiotics being dished out to entire year groups of confirmed cases.
One scientist has called for pandemic-era action. Dr Stephen Griffin, an infectious disease expert at the University of Leeds, said face masks would have a 'tremendous impact at decreasing transmission'.
