With last year’s U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of an RSV vaccine, we gained an important tool in fighting serious RSV infection in vulnerable populations.
The FDA recommends the RSV vaccine for certain individuals. That includes babies 12 months and younger, pregnant people, older adults, people with heart and lung disease, and anyone with a weakened immune system.
While the vaccine rolled out successfully for adults and pregnant people last season, vaccines were in short supply for infants. That’s changed this RSV season. ThedaCare anticipates having available vaccine for newborns as well as infants who didn’t get vaccinated last season.
Understanding RSV
What is RSV?
RSV, which is short for respiratory syncytial virus, causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract. It’s so common that most children have been infected with the virus by age 2. The virus also can infect adults.
In most adults as well as healthy, older children, RSV symptoms are mild and typically mimic the common cold. Individuals in these groups usually require only self-care measures to relieve any discomfort.
Mild symptoms of RSV include:
- Congested or runny nose
- Dry cough
- Low-grade fever
- Sore throat
- Sneezing
- Headache
RSV Severe Infections
RSV can cause severe infection in some people, including babies 12 months and younger. Premature infants are at increased risk. Other groups at risk include older adults, people with heart and lung disease, and anyone with a weakened immune system.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 58,000 to 80,000 children under 5 years of age — most of them infants — are hospitalized each year nationwide due to RSV infection. Some of those require oxygen, intravenous fluids, or mechanical ventilation (a machine to help with breathing). Each year, an estimated 100 to 300 children younger than 5 years of age die due to RSV.
Severe RSV symptoms include:
- Fever
- Severe cough
- Wheezing
- Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing — the person may prefer to sit up rather than lie down
- Bluish color of the skin due to lack of oxygen
In infants, severe symptoms include:
- Short, shallow and rapid breathing
- Struggling to breathe — chest muscles and skin pull inward with each breath
- Cough
- Poor feeding
- Unusual tiredness (lethargy)
- Irritability
Who Should Get Vaccinated?
Health experts recommend the vaccine for three main groups.
Infants Ages 8 Months and Younger
In addition to infants ages 8 months and younger, doctors may recommend the vaccine for some older babies at increased risk for becoming seriously ill from RSV. This group typically would include babies between the ages of 8 months and 19 months. RSV antibody Nirsevimab reduces the risk of severe RSV disease by about 80%, according to the CDC. One dose of protects infants for at least five months, the length of an average RSV season.
Pregnant People
To maximize protection for babies after birth, the CDC recommends seasonal administration of one dose of RSV vaccine for pregnant people during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy. The vaccine is recommended for people who fall into that group during RSV season. The season can vary but typically runs between September and January.
When someone gets an RSV vaccine, their body responds by making a protein that protects against the virus that causes RSV. The process takes about two weeks. When a pregnant person gets an RSV vaccine, their protective proteins (called antibodies) also pass to their baby.
Babies who are born at least two weeks after their mother gets an RSV vaccine are protected at birth, when infants are at the highest risk of severe RSV disease. The vaccine can reduce a baby’s risk of being hospitalized from RSV by 57% in the first six months after birth, according to the CDC.
Older Adults
The CDC shares the following guidelines:
- People ages 75 and older should get vaccinated. Adults ages 60-74 at increased risk of severe RSV also should get vaccinated. That includes those with chronic heart or lung disease, certain other chronic medical conditions, and those who are residents of nursing homes or other long-term care facilities.
- RSV vaccine is not an annual vaccine, meaning older adults do not need to get a dose every RSV season. Those who have already gotten a vaccine do not need to get another one at this time.
- The best time to get vaccinated is in late summer and early fall — just before RSV usually starts to spread in the community.
How to Get Vaccinated
ThedaCare is offering the RSV vaccine to eligible populations. Follow these guidelines:
- Pregnant people should talk to their physician about when it’s best to receive the vaccine.
- Babies ages 8 months and younger, as well as eligible babies between the ages of 8 months and 19 months, should get immunized. Talk to your child’s health care provider.
- Adults between the ages of 60 and 74 should ask their health care provider if they should receive the vaccine. Those eligible between the ages of 60 and 65 can receive the vaccine at their primary care clinic. Those 65 and older who are on Medicare should receive the vaccine at a retail pharmacy because payment is covered through Medicare Part D.
- Adults 75 and older should receive the vaccine.
“If you or a loved one is eligible to get vaccinated, we encourage you to do so,” says Dr. Dirk Steinert, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Ambulatory Care for ThedaCare. “This important tool can help vulnerable groups avoid severe respiratory illness this winter.”
Schedule or inquire about vaccines using MyThedaCare
