Parents say they are being forced to travel miles from home to get hold of antibiotics for their sick children.
An unseasonably early rise in Strep A infections has seen demand for commonly prescribed treatments such as penicillin and amoxicillin soar.
But in many cases mums and dads have been struggling to find places with the medicines in stock.
Read more: Mum whose son fell ill with Strep A shares how she got him to take 'horrid' antibiotics
Responding to a post on our Manchester Family Facebook page, dozens of parents shared their experiences.
Laura Sherlock said: "I had to ring every chemist in my town and the neighbouring town to see if they had antibiotics my daughter was prescribed. We found one chemist that had just one bottle left so told them to please let us have it.
"It was awful. Even the hospital would not let us get our prescription from there because it was from a GP."
Another mum, Abby Norris, said: "It took us almost two weeks and now our eldest is poorly again! We have to empty it out into a yoghurt to get him to take it."
And Hannah Victoria added: "I had to wait two days to get my antibiotics and also had to have a different one that I haven’t heard of before. So many people will end up going without. Such a shame."
Many have been told there is no liquid treatment available, so they've been given capsules instead, but getting children to take them is proving difficult.
Sim Saini said: "Had to crush up tablets and make my own concoction so that it is edible for my child. She's only just turned two. It's absolutely ridiculous!"
With Sophie Robyn adding: "We've got 500mg capsules that I have to undo and pour into something sweet. Poor child gags every time."
Last week we reported how health officials lowered the prescription threshold for the drugs following the outbreak of the invasive Group A streptococcal infection (iGAS), which has killed 19 children in recent weeks.
The Department of Health and Social Care issued 'serious shortage protocols' for three oral penicillin medicines - allowing pharmacists to supply alternative forms of the medicine if they do not have the specific formulation stated on the prescription.
Minister of State for Health Will Quince said: "The increased demand for the antibiotics prescribed to treat strep A has meant some pharmacists have been unable to supply the medicine shown on the prescription.
"These SSPs will allow pharmacists to supply an alternative form of penicillin, which will make things easier for them, patients, and GPs.
"We are taking decisive action to address these temporary issues and improve access to these medicines by continuing to work with manufacturers and wholesalers to speed up deliveries, bring forward stock they have to help ensure it gets to where it’s needed, and boost supply to meet demand as quickly as possible."
Strep A symptoms include flu-like symptoms, a sore throat, headache, fever, and muscle aches. If there is also a rash that feels rough like sandpaper it could be scarlet fever.
Have you struggled to get antibiotics in recent weeks? Have you been given tablets for your child instead of medicine? Let us know in the comments here.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
- How Strep A spreads and how to prevent becoming infected - according to a local GP
- Should I send my child to school amid Strep A - important advice from Greater Manchester health chiefs
- Can you contract Strep A twice?
-
Mums warn of key Strep A symptoms to look out for after children fall ill
-
'Not Covid' lurgy leaving Mancunians 'floored' and worse than when they had the virus
