Two years of lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic has led to rising rebound numbers of RSV and flu cases among children across the nation, many of whom have never been exposed to these common illnesses before.

The CDC is warning that this surge of respiratory viruses will last deep into the winter.

The onset of so many cases of respiratory illnesses in children all at once has predictably led to a run on over-the-counter children's fever and pain medication and nationwide shortages.

Where supplies are still in stock, CVS, Walgreens, and Target have begun rationing the medication, only allowing two boxes at a time in store and online.

Some online retailers are cashing in on the shortage with news of predatory online pharmacies charging up to $237 for a bottle of Children's Tylenol. On Amazon, a box of Children's Tylenol was sold for $60 after shipping costs.

Related prescription medication shortages include Tamiflu and many common antibiotics.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released doses of Tamiflu from the nation's emergency stockpile.

The global shortage of antibiotics has led to a surge in scarlet fever cases among children in the United Kingdom, bringing the total to 30,000.

Scarlet fever is just an advanced case of strep throat, which is normally easily treated with antibiotics.

So far, the United States has been spared that nightmare, but since most of the antibiotics that treat strep throat were produced in China before the pandemic, and they are in short supply here as well, it's hard to imagine we would fare any better than the Brits should a wide-spread outbreak of strep hit our shores.