Babies and older adults are at the highest risk of severe bouts of RSV
of ConsumerAffairsRSV isa virus that can make people sick, especially older adults and babies. But even though RSV can be serious, people aren't as worried about it anymore.
- RSV is common but can be dangerous: Almost everyone gets RSV by the time they're 2 years old. It's usually like a mild cold, but it can cause serious problems for older adults and babies.
- There are vaccines to protect against RSV: There are vaccines for older adults and pregnant women (to protect their babies). There's also a shot for babies.
- People are less worried about RSV now: Fewer people are worried about getting RSV this year compared to last year. They're more worried about COVID-19 and the flu.
- Many people don't know much about RSV: The study found that many people don't understand how RSV spreads, how long it lasts, or what the symptoms are.
- More people are learning about the RSV vaccines: More people know about the vaccines now, and more people are willing to recommend them to others.
What you can do
- Learn about RSV: Understand how it spreads, what the symptoms are, and who is at risk.
- Talk to your doctor about the RSV vaccines: See if you or your child are eligible for the vaccine.
- Take steps to prevent the spread of RSV: Wash your hands often, cover your coughs and sneezes, and stay home if you're sick.
More to know about RSV
More than 100,000 older adults are hospitalized on average yearly in the United States with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), as are 58,000 or more infants and young children under the age of five, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC says 6,000 or more older adults and 100 or more young children die annually of RSV.
Yet public worryabout contracting RSV has dropped significantly in the past year, though not worry about contracting Covid-19 or the seasonal flu, according to a new Annenberg Public Policy Center health survey conducted in September 2024.
The survey finds that 1 in 4 people (26%) surveyed are worried about getting or having a family member get RSV over the next three months, significantly less than 1 in 3 (35%) who were worried in October 2023, at the onset of last years RSV season.
By contrast, 33% are worried about getting or having a member get Covid-19 in the next three months, and 37% are worried about the flu, neither one significantly changed from October 2023.
It is possible that memories of last years winter holiday surge in respiratory illnesses and of the 2022-23 tripledemic of Covid-19, flu, and RSV respiratory viruses have faded, says Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania and director of the survey.
RSV: A common virus, but potentially severe
According to the CDC, RSV is very common and usually causes mild, cold-likesymptoms.Most infections go away on their own, so most people are unaware that they have had an RSV infection. But RSV can be more severe, especially for babies, some young children, and older adults.
RSV vaccines for older adults entered the U.S. market in May 2023. A year later, in June 2024, the CDC updated recommendations to protect older adults at the greatest risk for severe RSV, saying that everyone 75 and older should receive a single dose of the vaccine and those 60 to 74 years old who are at increased risk should as well.
New CDC evidence finds that older adults getting vaccinated against RSV reduces hospitalization with severe illness.
In the summer of 2023, two immunization options to protect infants from severe RSV also became available. In August 2023, the CDC recommendedan RSV vaccine for pregnant individuals to be given during weeks 32 to 36 of pregnancy to protecttheir babies born during the RSV season. The CDC also recommended aninjectionto be administered to infants eight months and younger, providing an additional option for protecting very young children. Most babies do not need both.
These options protect very young infants from severe RSV, the primary reason children that young are hospitalized. Child hospitalization rates from RSV are the highest for those six months and younger, with a peak at one month old.
We are seeing increased awareness of RSV vaccines to protect the very young, says Laura A. Gibson, the senior data analyst at APPC who analyzed the RSV data. If this translates into increased immunization rates, we could reduce their hospitalization rates.
Nearly half of those surveyed (46%) in September 2024 know that there is a Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccine against RSV for those who are pregnant to benefit their newborns, while 4% say there is no such vaccine.
CDC recommendations on RSV vaccination
To maximize protection during the fall and winter RSV season, the CDC recommends that pregnant people get the RSV vaccine between September and January if weeks 32-36 of their pregnancy fall during that time. Protection for their infant will last for approximately six months after birth.
If parents choose the RSV antibody for infants less than eight months old, that should be administered between October and March and will last at least five months after immunization.
For older adults, the CDC recommends all adults 75 years and older get an RSV vaccine. Adults 60-74 years old should get vaccinated against RSV if they are at increased risk of severe RSV. Some conditions that increase risk include living in a nursing home or having a weakened immune system.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-10-15 19:43:52
