Dipesh Jogi at Chemitex

PANIC about the recent surge in Strep A infections in children has caused the price of first-line antibiotics to soar as stocks run low across the borough.

But parents have been urged to stay calm with recent cases being blamed on a pandemic-induced “immunity gap” rather than a new, more virulent strain of the bacteria.

Strep A is commonly found on the skin or in the throat and can sometimes cause mild infections in the form of a sore throat or rash and can be treated easily with antibiotics.

In rare cases, invasive Strep A infections can cause more serious disease. Sixteen children across the country have died after developing an invasive form of the infection.

Dipesh Jogi, a pharmacist at Chemitex in Hornsey Road, said parents are now travelling across London in search of antibiotics to treat Strep A infections.

“We’ve had people come from Brent – someone told me this was the 31st pharmacy they’d ­visited to see if we had it,” Mr Jogi said.

“Availability is low – when we’re ordering more stock we can’t even get one bottle,” the pharmacist added. “The worst bit is, some of the drug companies have inflated the price to at least four to six times the [normal] price of the drug. That leaves all pharmacists out of pocket – when a child has Strep A that’s more important than making money. Money is money and you can’t put a price on health, especially with kids.”

Neil Gathani, superintendent pharmacist at Caledonian Pharmacy, said he had seen a similar trend in his shop.

“There is panic,” he said.

While some pharmacists are finding it difficult to track down stocks of penicillin and clarithromycin, the first-line antibiotics used to treat Strep A, Mr Gathani said many pharmacists were “actively working with GP practices to provide alternative [antibiotics]” that work just as effectively.

According to Dr Erum Jamall, consultant paediatrician at Whittington Hospital, parents should not be overly concerned by the recent spike in Strep A cases.

“Group A strep is not a new infection. It’s a bacterial infection. It’s a common cause for tonsillitis and it can cause other infections,” she said. “The good news is that this particular surge that we’re seeing in Strep infections, it’s not a new strain. It’s the same strain that we’ve been seeing year on year.”

The recent surge in infections is possibly due to an immunity gap after Covid, Dr Jamall said, addling: “Probably some of this is to do with post-Covid, where children weren’t mixing a lot. “Mixing and exposing themselves [to infection] is actually part of them getting their immunity.”

While most infections will go away on their own, Dr Jamall said there are some signs parents should be on the lookout for.

“The things that I would say you really need to come to A&E for or call 999 for is if your child is pale or mottled or very cold to the touch, if they’ve got blue lips or had a change in colour, or if they’re too breathless to talk or eat or drink.

“Also if they’re having faints, fits, or funny turns or, importantly, if they’ve got a rash that’s not disappearing with the glass test. That’s where you put a bit of pressure through a glass and you’d expect that rash to disappear.”

She added: “If that’s not happening, those are the things I would expect you to bring your child to A&E or call 999 for.”

The “public anxiety around group A Strep” means the Whittington is “seeing a lot of worried well through our A&E doors,” she said, and urged parents to look online or call 111 first before coming to hospital unless their child appears seriously unwell.

Dr Jamall added: “Bear in mind that if your child is fairly well they’ll get triaged by a nurse and you might be waiting in A&E for a while to get seen because we obvious prioritise those children who are the sickest first. “But definitely if you are worried, please do seek help.”