Health officials strongly urge that infants and eligible adults receive a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination to protect them during the respiratory illness season.
The Midwest’s fall and winter months bring a trio of respiratory illnesses, including influenza and COVID-19 that can lead to serious illness. RSV is the least familiar of the three illnesses, but it is a common, yet highly contagious virus that causes inflammation in the lower airways. RSV causes symptoms such as a runny nose, decrease appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing. RSV is most common from November to May, with cases typically peaking in January or February.
In 2023, the first immunizations against RSV were made available to the public.
“The immunizations were developed to provide needed protection against the dangerous and sometimes life-threatening virus,” said Dr. Thomas Boyce. “While most people recover in a few weeks, RSV can be serious. Infants and older adults are most likely to develop severe RSV symptoms that may require hospitalization.”
RSV vaccines are now available through your primary care or women’s health provider.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend an RSV vaccine for all adults ages 75 and older, and adults ages 50-74 who have one or more risk factors for severe RSV. Patients who received an RSV vaccine in previous years do not need another dose.
There are options to protect infants from severe RSV, a maternal RSV vaccine given during pregnancy or an infant RSV antibody given to infants after birth.
“We recommend that all children who are less than 8 months old at the start of RSV season (October 1) be protected from RSV,” Boyce said. “Protection can either be from maternal vaccine given from 32 to 36 weeks gestation from September through January or from administering a monoclonal antibody to the infant from October through March. The earlier the child receives protection, the better.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment contact your primary care provider.
