Whooping cough medication scarcity sees fearful mother and father turned away by pharmacists

Pharmacists are at their wits’ end as they face a dire shortage of antibiotics to combat whooping cough, leaving panicked parents in the lurch.

The country is grappling with the worst outbreak of the dreaded 100-day cough, also known as pertussis, in over ten years, with cases skyrocketing since the beginning of the year a shocking threefold increase from the entirety of 2023.

This highly infectious illness has tragically claimed the lives of five infants this year alone, prompting parents to urgently warn others about the rapid deterioration in their children’s health, as reported by The Mirror.

READ MORE: Contagious 100-day cough could force return of face masks and isolating

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To add to the crisis, Dr Leyla Hannbeck from the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, has revealed that pharmacies are running on empty when it comes to stocks.

Healthcare bosses are sounding the alarm over the scarcity of clarithromycin in liquid form. They have warned that this essential supply has been dwindling for months.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, Dr Hannbeck disclosed: “We have had an ongoing problem with the supply of common antibiotics for two years now and this current epidemic of whooping cough is putting an additional strain on supplies.

“While the shortage isn’t widespread, there are sporadic problems getting hold of these drugs in pockets across the country. No-one wants to send a mother and a child home without antibiotics. But, increasingly, pharmacists are in a situation where they’re having to do just that.”

It’s been revealed that GPs can prescribe one of four antibiotics; clarithromycin, erythromycin, azithromycin and co-trimoxazole. These medications can help stop the bacterial infection from spreading further and allows patients to be infection-free within 48 hours.

Certain areas have indicated that they can only source tablets at this time. One pharmacist told the publication: “We can only get overpriced tablets (no kids’ antibiotics available for absolute months! ).”

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care stated: “We are not aware of any supply shortages of antibiotic treatments for whooping cough, which are currently available across the country to those in need.

“We are working with primary care across England to support the management of whooping cough including the supply of antibiotics.

“The UK Health Security Agency and NHS England have been engaging local communities to highlight the importance of vaccination and make sure people know how to access the jabs as quickly as possible.”

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