TYLER, Texas — Doctors across East Texas have seen an uptick in illnesses such as RSV cases but now there are RSV vaccines available for qualifying patients.
According to the FDA, First Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV is a highly contagious virus that causes infections of the lungs and breathing passages in individuals of all age groups. The FDA approved the first RSV vaccine for individuals 60 years or older and expecting moms.
Dr. Michelle Crum with the UT Tyler School of Medicine said in the U.S., RSV causes approximately 177,000 hospitalizations in adults 65 years or older and about 14,000 RSV cases can result in death.
"The vaccine is one of the ways to protect adults that are, you know, at the most risk for severe disease or hospitalization, or even deaths from RSV," Crum said.
This virus is very common in children under five years and the most common cause of hospitalization for children.
"RSV causes a lot of swelling in your pulmonary airways. Most kids that get it have cough, shortness of breath, fever," Dr. David Larsen with Christus Health said.
Although there isn't an RSV vaccine for children yet, there are treatments available that are antibody based. Crum said, for expecting moms, the RSV vaccine should be given between 32 and 36 weeks to help produce antibodies that provide protection to a newborn for six months. She also adds that this vaccine will be able to protect you for two seasons.
"If you or any family members have someone who has a weakened immune system or they live in a nursing home or you're worried about them catching some kind of pulmonary infection like RSV, please talk to their doctor about potentially immunizing them," Larsen said.
The RSV, flu and Covid-19 vaccines are available at local pharmacies and clinics.