Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): What Parents Need to Know
A triple epidemic is upon us. Occurring all at the same time and earlier than in past years, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have joined forces with COVID-19 to create new layers of stress for parents and families in our region and across the country. These respiratory viral infections have also stretched the capacities of emergency rooms, resulting in shortages of hospital beds and staff alike.听
Most of us are familiar with the flu鈥攁 disease whose symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on the viral strain that comes along in any particular year. And even though COVID-19 is still a new disease for humans, we have been learning to deal with it and live with it for nearly 3 years. But for many of us, RSV is much less familiar.听
So, let鈥檚 get familiar with it. That鈥檚 the best way to keep our children safe from a common infection that can occasionally turn dangerous, especially in newborns and infants less than 2 months old.听
What is RSV?听
RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but in a small number of children, it can develop into bronchiolitis or even pneumonia. Unlike COVID-19 and the flu, there is no vaccine for RSV just yet, but one may well become available in 2023.听听
Why has RSV come back with a vengeance this year?听
Because of masking and social distancing to contain the spread of COVID-19, there were far fewer cases of RSV in 2020 than usual. However, the arrival of COVID vaccines in early 2021 led some people to discontinue these anti-COVID measures鈥攅specially wearing masks. Predictably,