RSV Vaccination Is Critical to Infant Health
RSV infection can be fatal and is the leading cause for young infants and newborns to be admitted to the hospital. Immunization can reduce infections by 80-90%.
“RSV is the most common reason for children under one year old to be admitted to the hospital,” says Rebecca Bell, MD, a pediatric critical care physician at UVM Medical Center. “The kids that get the sickest are the youngest kids – particularly under six months old. Every year, our PICU is full of infants critically ill with RSV infection.”
But this year, RSV-related hospital admissions for these youngest patients are down significantly, said Dr. Bell – and the reason is clear: A new monoclonal antibody prevention medication approved in July 2023 by the Food and Drug Administration.
