Strep A: Leading children’s doctor tells parents ‘don’t hang around’ if child is sick

Parents have been urged to be on the lookout for symptoms amid a rise in cases of infections caused by the Strep A bacteria

(Picture: PA Archive)

A leading children’s doctor has warned parents not to “hang around” if their child appears to be seriously ill with Strep A symptoms.

Professor Adam Finn, head of the Bristol Children’s Vaccine Centre, said that very unwell children are the ones "that need to go to hospital".

A five-year-old girl has become the latest victim of the bacterial infection which has now claimed the lives of nine children.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the Year 8 pupil from Colfe’s school died in recent weeks.

Responding to reports that some worried parents had spent up to 12 hours waiting for advice after calling the NHS's non emergency 111 number, Prof Finn told Times Radio: "The danger is, if we encourage everyone to go to A&E there will just be a queue there.

"The seriously ill children are the ones that need to go to hospital. If your child is really sick then don’t hang around."

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said parents should contact their GP if they are worried their child might have Strep A, and only the “seriously ill” should be taken to A&E.

He added that advice was being given to affected schools.

“I think they should try and get hold of their GP first of all, but if they are concerned a child is seriously ill then that would be the ultimate thing to do to take the child to A&E," he said.

"But the key thing is, this is still a rare condition. It’s very devastating for those parents who have lost children due to this.

“But it is rare. The UKHSA are monitoring the position.

"They’re working very closely with the schools involved, or giving particular advice to those schools and the parents of those schools. And then more generally, they’ll say their advice to parents is to monitor the symptoms that I’ve just described.”

Mr Gibb said preventative antibiotics were being considered for children at schools affected by infections.

He told GB News: "Lord Markham said in the House of Lords yesterday that the UKHSA... are considering those kind of issues in those schools where there is an infection.

"This is an ongoing situation, the UKHSA are involved very closely with those schools and they will be providing further advice later on.

"But that may well be an option for those particular schools where there is an infection."