Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated a congressional subcommittee Thursday about cases of respiratory illness in the US due to three viruses: flu, the coronavirus and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
“RSV season is in full swing,” Cohen told the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
“Flu season is just beginning across most of the country, though accelerating fast, and while we’re seeing relatively low levels of Covid, Covid is still the primary cause of new respiratory hospitalizations and deaths, with about 15,000 hospitalizations and about 1,000 deaths every single week,” she said.
“We are seeing a lot of RSV, particularly in the southern part of the country, so we’re near peak is what I would say for RSV,” Cohen said.
Anyone know if they will lower the age for the rsv vaccine? Right now it’s only for 60+ or pregnant patients in certain weeks of pregnancy as far as I know.
Please see the cdc website:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/rsv/index.html
Infants don’t generate great antibody responses and are protected by maternal antibodies for some time, hence the emphasis on vaccinating during pregnancy. There is a passive rsv vaccine though (rsv immunoglobulins) that some infants and young children may be eligible for. See above and also talk to your pediatrician. For young and middle age adults don’t worry, it mostly is just cold type symptoms. You’ve probably gotten it many times and hadn’t even realized.
Thanks, yeah my daughter is now 8 months old so not an issue really anymore, but since this wasn’t approved in time during pregnancy I was really wishing I could have gotten vaccinated to avoid giving it to her. Fortunately all was well, and hopefully all soon to be mothers get the message about the vaccine. I feel like doctors are becoming afraid to really drive the vaccine message home in fear of negative reviews these days.
Probably not. The risk tradeoff likely isn’t there, RSV isn’t that dangerous outside the old and very young. A vaccine for infants would be nice, but it’s extremely hard to get those approved.
There are also exceptions for adults with serious health issues which increase their risk. I got it because I have cystic fibrosis.