Health experts expand RSV vaccine recommendations. Here’s who should get the shot
.jpg "A vaccine is now available and recommended for select groups to fight respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.")
As the weather gets colder and the spooky season begins, ghosts and goblins aren’t the only scary things to watch out for.
It’s also the start of RSV season.
The respiratory virus acts as one part of what health officials have deemed the “tripledemic,” a period of time where RSV, flu and COVID-19 cases ramp up across the country.
This year is the first time all three illnesses have a ready and available vaccine.
Here’s what you need to know about protecting yourself from RSV.
What is RSV?
Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is an upper respiratory infection that can cause a runny nose, a decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever or wheezing when breathing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Many of the RSV symptoms mimic the flu and can be mistaken for other respiratory illnesses, the CDC says.
The virus is spread from person-to-person through water droplets, usually when someone infected with the virus coughs or sneezes on an uninfected person, health officials say. The virus can also survive for short periods of time on surfaces like a doorknob or countertop.
In most cases, over-the-counter fever reducers, like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, lots of fluids and rest are enough to kick an RSV infection.
For children under the age of 1 and adults with compromised immune systems, the infection can sometimes be more severe and lead to bronchiolitis or pneumonia, requiring a prescription for an antiviral medication.
Almost all children have had RSV at some point before their second birthday, the CDC says.
That might change with increasing access to the vaccine.
When was the vaccine approved?
The Food and Drug Administration approved an RSV vaccine for adults in May, the first vaccine of its kind.
The shot, known by its brand name Arexvy, was nearly 83% effective in preventing an RSV infection and 94% effective in preventing an RSV infection from becoming severe, according to a clinical trial.
The FDA approved a version for infants in July, and a version for pregnant individuals was approved on Aug. 21.
The CDC began recommending the vaccine for adults over the age of 60 in July, then extended the recommendations to infants in August.
On Sept. 22, the CDC announced pregnant people could protect themselves and their unborn children by receiving a vaccine between the 32nd and 36th weeks of pregnancy, although trials on the safety and efficacy of the shots during pregnancy were conducted only in cisgender women.
Do I need the RSV vaccine?
The CDC recommends it for adults over the age of 60 and adults with preexisting health conditions who have been part of “shared clinical decision-making” with their health care provider.
People who are 32-36 weeks pregnant and infants under the age of 8 months who are entering an RSV season should also receive a vaccine, according to the CDC.
Infants will no longer need the vaccine if they were born more than 14 days after their mother received the shot.
That’s because when a person is pregnant, they can give their unborn child antibodies that can fight infection through the bloodstream, which the baby keeps when they are born.
In some rare cases, children between the ages of 8 months and 19 months will need the vaccine as they enter their second RSV season, if they are at an increased risk of severe disease, the CDC says.
It’s important to discuss the RSV vaccine, along with other vaccinations for your infant, with your pediatrician.
When should I get an RSV vaccine?
RSV, like the flu, has seasonal cycles where there is a higher prevalence of the virus in the population.
For most places in the U.S., the typical RSV season starts in the fall and lasts through the winter months, generally September through January. Historically, RSV cases have peaked during the winter months, according to the FDA.
The season can have different start and peak months depending on location, meaning people living in Alaska, parts of Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and the U.S. Pacific Islands should check with their local health officials or primary physician for their RSV season, the CDC says.
The best time to receive an RSV vaccine is before you may be exposed to the virus. The vaccine is already available in most health care facilities and pharmacies.
Walgreens, CVS and Kroger now offer RSV vaccines by appointment.
However, there is never a bad time to protect your health, so you can continue to receive the vaccine throughout the RSV season if you are part of one of the recommended vaccination groups.
Can I get an RSV vaccine at the same time as my flu shot or COVID booster?
It is safe to receive a COVID-19 booster shot and flu vaccine at the same time, the CDC says, but there have not been adequate tests to prove if the same is true for RSV.
William Schaffner, a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America and doctor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told MedPage Today many practitioners are choosing to give the RSV vaccine separately from the other two shots.
“If there’s one [shot] that doctors might want to treat separately, it might be this newbie [RSV], because there simply hasn’t been that much experience with it,” he told the outlet.
Schaffner recommends separating the RSV shot from the others by about two weeks to ensure there isn’t any negative interaction between the drugs, MedPage Today reported, but it is an extra precaution.
This story was originally published October 4, 2023 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Health experts expand RSV vaccine recommendations. Here’s who should get the shot."
