Strep A: Antibiotics could be given to UK children en masse to combat invasive virus after death in Waterlooville

In a move described as ‘rare’ by health officials, a government minister revealed the plan in response to the eighth death of a child from the infection. A pupil at Morelands Primary School in Crookhorn Lane, Waterlooville, with headteacher Alison Syred-Paul saying pupils, staff and the family have been left ‘devastated’ by the loss.

SEE ALSO: Waterlooville school child dies after contracting invasive virus leaving pupils and family 'devastated'

They were diagnosed with an invasive Group A Streptococcal (iGAS) infection. Hampshire County Council health bosses offered their ‘heartfelt condolences’, with director of public health Simon Bryant saying the death was ‘very tragic’. Nick Gibb, minister of state for schools, told GB News the option of prescribing antibiotics on a large scale was raised in the House of Lords by health minister Lord Markham yesterday.

He said: ‘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.’

The move would see penicillin, or an alternative antibiotic, given to all children in a year group hit by a case of Strep A – even if they did not have symptoms. Officials reportedly said isolation among children during the pandemic may have contributed to them having reduced immunity.

According to the i paper, Lord Markham said: ‘We have given instructions to doctors that where necessary they should be proactively prescribing penicillin as the best line of defence on this, and also where there is a spread in primary schools, which we know is the primary vector for this, whether they should be working with local health protection teams, and sometimes actually look at the use of antibiotics on a prophylactic basis.’

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said prescribing antibiotics to children in a school or nursery exposed to non-invasive Strep A was ‘rare’. They added: ‘There is no good evidence of (antibiotics’) effectiveness in routine outbreak control in this setting (involving children who have been contacts of non-invasive Strep A).’

‘It can be considered in exceptional circumstances by the outbreak control team, for example, when there are reports of severe outcomes, or hospitalisations. In school and nursery settings, antibiotic chemoprophylaxis is not routinely recommended for contacts of non-invasive (Group A streptococcus) GAS infection.’

Cases of invasive Group A Strep are currently four times higher than normal among children aged between one and four, according to the UKSHA. The death in Waterlooville is believed to be the eighth in the UK.

SEE ALSO: Hampshire county council says death of child is 'very tragic'

Shortly before that, a year eight student at a secondary school in south-east London was confirmed as the seventh death from the infection. Illnesses caused by the Group A strep bacteria include the skin infection impetigo, scarlet fever and strep throat. In extremely rare cases, the bacteria can get into the bloodstream and cause iGAS.

Scarlet fever cases have risen, with 851 in the UK from November 14 to 20, compared to an average 186 in the same timeframe in previous years. Symptoms of scarlet fever include sore throat, headache and fever, along with a fine, pinkish or red body rash with a ‘sandpapery’ feel.