August 4, 2023 – The CDC recommends that every one babies under 8 months of age receive a vaccination to guard against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) this fall or winter.
RSV normally causes mild cold symptoms, but babies with the primary infection are at increased risk for serious complications similar to pneumonia or swelling of the small airways within the lungs. An estimated 1 to three% of youngsters under 12 months of age are hospitalized for RSV every year.
“As we move toward respiratory virus season this fall, it is important to take advantage of these new available tools to prevent severe RSV illness,” said CDC Director Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH. “I encourage parents of infants to talk with their pediatricians about this new vaccination and the importance of preventing severe RSV illness.”
The move comes lower than a month after the FDA approved the injection for babies and a few high-risk young children. The CDC also recommends that high-risk children under 19 months of age receive nirsevimab, which is sold under the brand name Beyfortus.
Beyfortus incorporates monoclonal antibodies, which the CDC says are man-made proteins that mimic naturally occurring proteins and help the immune system fight infection. The single vaccination is meant to last at some point of an RSV season, which usually occurs in the autumn and winter months.
Clinical trials have shown that Beyfortus can reduce the danger of hospitalizations and outpatient visits for RSV in infants by about 80%. The vaccine is offered to about half of eligible U.S. children under the income-tested Vaccines for children Program.