Teesside residents urged to look out for infected bug bites
Pharmacists in the Tees Valley are urging people to take care
Pharmacists across Teesside are urging people to look out for infected insect bites this summer.
They are issuing advice as children have finished school for the summer and are expected to be spending more time outside.
Peter Horrocks is the Chair of Community Pharmacy Tees Valley, which represents pharmacy contractors across Teesside;
"Often we see lots patients coming into the pharmacy at this time of year with an insect bite...
"Obviously when people are enjoying the outdoors and the good weather,
"But insect bites are very easily treated, with a cream and an oral antihistamine, but sometimes an insect bite can become infected
"Community pharmacies now, just this year, are able to offer a Pharmacy First service, which includes the treatment of infected insect bites
"Previously you would have had to attend your GP for treatement for this, but community pharmacies can now cover this in their armoury of medications and advice they can give to patients."
"Often people don't know what bit them so they'll settle down on an evening and go 'I've found this insect bite - I must have been bitten by something today'
"Aside from the usual bee and wasp stings that people do get straight away.
"Usually the bites aren't know to the individual til the next day when the reaction and the allergy starts,
"But watching out for severe hotness and redness, certainly spreading around the area or any kind of discharge are the things we need to watch out for with infected insect bites."