UK Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said there is no shortage of antibiotics, as he urged parents to remain vigilant for signs of Streptococcus A.
Checks within the Department of Health have not revealed a problem with supply of the medicine, said Steve Barclay.
The National Pharmacy Association earlier said there were “blips” in supplies of liquid penicillin, which is often given to children.
The level of supply is “not a concern at the moment”, said Mr Barclay but stock could be moved around if there was an issue with particular GPs getting supplies.
The Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, which represents about 4,000 chemist businesses, said many were struggling to obtain all they need.
“We’re in very close contact with our medical suppliers," Mr Barclay told GB News. "They’re under a duty to notify us if there are supply shortages. They have not done so as yet.
“I checked with the team last night — we have an established team in the department that does this on a permanent basis — and they reassured me we have good supply," he told Sky News.
“The medical suppliers are required to notify us if they’ve got shortages.
"Now, sometimes GPs can have particular surges if they’ve got a lot of demand in an area and that’s quite routine … we can move the stock around our depots.
“As of last night when we checked [with suppliers], they said they could reassure us that they’ve got good stock and were moving that around to meet demand.
“Obviously parents are concerned at the moment because they see the stories. One in five children have this — Strep A — naturally and complications are very rare, but it’s important that we’re vigilant.”
Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, told PA: “Mr Barclay is saying there’s no shortage of antibiotics, yet when people go to their pharmacy they are finding there is no stock.
“Pharmacies across the country are reporting that they are struggling to get stock from wholesalers.”
To date, at least nine children across the UK have died from complications caused by the Strep A infection.
The most recent death reported was of Stella-Lilly McCorkindale, who attended Black Mountain Primary School in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The school has spoken of its “tragic loss” and said, “the thoughts of the entire school are with the pupil’s family and friends at this difficult time”.
In Scotland, health officials reported that there have been 13 cases of invasive Strep A in children aged under 10 since the start of October.
UK Health Security Agency officials have suggested that a lack of mixing because of the Covid pandemic and susceptibility in children are probably “bringing forward the normal scarlet fever season” from spring to this side of Christmas.
Dr Colin Brown, deputy director of the agency, suggested on Tuesday that the strains are not more severe.
“There isn’t something that is particularly new or novel about the bacteria that are causing the infections that we’re seeing at the moment,” Dr Brown said.
Later on Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said parents should seek help if they thought their child was affected.
“We are seeing a higher number of cases from Strep A this year compared to usual," Mr Sunak said.
“What I can say is that the NHS … is working very hard to make sure parents are aware of the symptoms that they should be looking out [for] because this can be treated appropriately with antibiotics.
“There are no current shortages of drugs available to treat this and there are well-established procedures in place to ensure that remains the case.
“There is no reason to believe that it has become more lethal and more resistant to antibiotics, so the most important thing for parents to do is look out for the symptoms and get the treatment that is available for them.”
The agency has advised medics to have little aversion to prescribing antibiotics for children who may be suffering infection linked to Strep A.
On Friday, it said GPs should also “maintain a low threshold for prompt referral” to hospital of any children presenting with persistent or worsening symptoms.
Strep A bacteria can cause many different infections, ranging from minor illnesses to serious and deadly diseases.
They include the skin infection impetigo, scarlet fever and strep throat.
While the vast majority of infections are relatively mild, sometimes the bacteria cause serious and life-threatening invasive Group A Streptococcal disease.
This occurs when the bacteria have invaded parts of the body such as the blood, deep muscle or lungs.
Two of the most severe, but rare, forms of invasive disease are necrotising fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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