RSV is on the rise in some southern US states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, indicating that the virus could spread broadly across the country shortly.
Except for a few anomalous years like the COVID-19 pandemic, the RSV season typically begins in the fall and ends in the winter.
The virus has also been known to initially begin in Florida before spreading across other southeastern states, then northward and westward.
RSV Kills up to 10,000 Individuals Each Year
RSV causes cold-like symptoms in most individuals, but it can be frightening for newborns, young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
In accordance with estimates from the CDC, the virus kills approximately 100 to 300 children under the age of five and up to 10,000 persons over the age of 65 each year.
This appears to be the case once more this year. In recent weeks, several people in Florida and Georgia have tested positive for the virus, according to a CDC advisory released Tuesday.
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New Ways to Fight Respiratory Syncytial Virus
However, doctors will have new ways to combat RSV this season. Last month, US regulators authorized the first RSV vaccine for pregnant women, ensuring that their newborns are protected against the respiratory infection when they are born.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer’s maternal immunization to protect babies from a severe case of RSV from birth to 6 months of age. The CDC will then provide recommendations for taking the vaccine, known as Abrysvo, during pregnancy.
Vaccinations for older persons, who are also at high risk, will begin this fall, using the same Pfizer injection as well as another from competitor GSK.
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