Worried about Strep A

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This is what I knew would happen after all the covid lockdowns - people not exposing themselves to germs due to social distancing and now there are all these epidemics of other viruses, even in the summer months (norovirus went around this summer and usually that's known as winter vomiting bug).

I'm not stupid - I know this Strep A is affecting children only but it's still worrying. I fear for my little nieces and nephews. There seems to be a child dying from Strep A every day at the moment. Even an adolescent died from it, so it's not just babies and small children.

Why aren't they closing schools? Wouldn't that help?

It's been proven that "online education" brings down the educational level of children. Even kids themselves want to actually "go to school," even if they hate "going to school."

I wouldn't close the schools again.

I get that, I don't think it's ideal to close schools but if children are dying each day from a virus that only seems to be affecting children then I'd have thought they'd shut the schools for about a month. It sounds serious if children are dying. It might get worse.

Many people have this virus in their system without causing any symptoms. But when there are symptoms, it usually manifests itself as Scarlet Fever.

Parents are being told to be vigilant, and to make sure children who are sick are seen by a physician. In almost all cases, this infection is very curable with antibiotics if caught early enough.

In other words, it's not like COVID.

Well maybe it's just the media sensationalising it. Ever since covid they've been talking about other viruses like they're as bad as covid was. The pandemic seems to have made everyone focus on viruses now.

But I got an email from the NHS reminding us that the doctor surgeries are full due to Strep A patients so to only see a doctor if it's urgent or go to A&E.

There's always been Strep A---Scarlet Fever. It's nothing new. It goes back to at least the Middle Ages.

This is a particularly bad flu season. Probably because 2020 was a particular mild flu season, and 2021 only slightly worse than 2020.

The death rate from Strep A---Scarlet Fever is much lower than the death rate from COVID. And, unlike COVID, it can be cured with antibiotics (easily). COVID cannot be cured, as of yet.

Any death from anything is one death too many. But there have only been 16 deaths in the whole UK from Strep A so far this autumn. The key is to go to the doctor, get a diagnosis, and get treatment. A shot of penicillin is curable. If one is allergic to penicillin, another antibiotic is substituted.

Thank you kraftie. I'd rather hear these things from people, like you, who are knowledgeable and wise, instead of googling, as I find googling makes me feel even more anxious.

Curious side thought: I remember reading a long time ago (early 00s?) that kids in the UK weren't usually taken to the doc for Strep throat (at the initial outset). Is that (or was it) the case? Here, in the 80s & 90s, whenever I (or friends) smelled of Strep (it has a very distinct odor on the breath from the start), we were kept home & taken to the doctor for antibiotics.

I recall the thing I read mentioning that Americans went for antibiotics too often, & those in the UK didn't go in for them unless the infection wasn't clearing on its own. This seemed weird to me, as I was the kid that caught everything from everyone, so them staying home & being properly medicated was important to me.

If one is found to have a bacterial infection (like Strep A), one should be prescribed antibiotics right away. Antibiotics are used for bacterial infections. Strep A could turn into something like Rheumatic Fever if not treated.

They should not be used for viral infections---because they are not effective against them. There is no "cure" for COVID for that very reason.

I don't get it...when I was a child under 12 I was always given antibiotics by the doctor every time I had a bad cold. It wasn't Calpol (although I was given that as well). It was this yellow stuff (both Calpol and antibiotics were delicious ). But why give antibiotics to a human if they have a virus? Or could it be due to ear infections caused by colds in children?

It could have been a bacterial ear infection.