As a parent, Strep A is all I can think about

There’s nothing we can do, except be vigilant for the signs and remember all of the hard lessons learned during Covid

If you’re a parent or carer for primary school-aged children, like I am, chances are you’ve Googled the following in the past week: “The signs and symptoms of Strep A”; “Parents urged to look out for these key symptoms“; “Strep A cases in your area“ and “The latest live news on Strep A.” And then there’s the terribly tragic news that a ninth child – in Belfast – has died after contracting a severe form of the disease.

This morning, I received a letter from the UK health and security agency informing me that the primary school my children go to in east London has several reported cases of scarlet fever and impetigo; which are both caused by the bacteria Group A streptococcus – the same strain that has resulted in some child deaths in severe cases.

To say I’m worried would be an understatement: not least when both of my children have reported sore throats and aching tummies in the last couple of days; and the symptoms of scarlet fever include sore throat, headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms are common, and also consistent with the winter bugs that parents know to expect, year on year.

Upon reading the latest news, I was immediately filled with the desire to haul both of my children out of the classroom; to strip them down and inspect every inch of their bodies for a telltale fine red rash; to run my fingertips over their skin to try to see whether they have any patches that feel like “sandpaper”. I want, in other words, to do what every parent and carer wants: to keep them safe from harm.

But panic doesn’t help anyone, we all know that. Children need routine and learning. Schools are aware and vigilant. The numbers involved in this current outbreak are still relatively small – and the risks of fatality low, for the bacteria usually only causes mild illness – though that’s no comfort for any of the bereaved families who are grieving the loss of a child. Their pain is unimaginable.

Still, I’ve been surprised by how little talk there has been among the various school-related WhatsApp groups about Strep A; how parents like me aren’t openly expressing their concern.

Perhaps, in the wake of Covid, many caregivers are confident that we know the drill: our kids have embraced washing their hands for 20 seconds as routine and they know to report any symptoms when they’re feeling unwell. It is also succour to hear England’s schools minister suggesting preventative antibiotics could be given to children at schools reporting infections of Strep A.

All of this can – and should be – a comfort. But the helplessness is the worst part of being a parent.

To keep up to speed with all the latest opinions and comment sign up to our free weekly Voices Dispatches newsletter by clicking here

Just a couple of weeks ago I found myself calling an ambulance for my son, who’s six, after he had a severe asthma attack in the middle of the night. The ambulance never came – almost certainly due to the strain on the NHS and the woeful lack of funding being made available for an essential public service. The last time this happened, about six months ago, the ambulance took two hours to turn up. No wonder underpaid and overworked staff are striking.

Knowing I could do nothing but sit back and watch my son struggle to breathe was one of the most frightening (and stressful) times of my life. And this is a little how this feels: working as a journalist; as a parent; reading day in, day out about the living nightmare of the families affected by the increase in cases of serious invasive Strep A disease this season.

There’s nothing we can do, except be vigilant for the signs and remember all of the hard lessons learned during Covid.