But in recent years, the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has not only stolen the attention of public health, but also overshadowed the development of the first RSV vaccine.
“[RSV]can be very dangerous, but people don’t realize it as much as it is a virus in and of itself,” said Sujata, an infectious disease specialist at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia.・Dr. Amberder told Fortune magazine. “They think of coronavirus, influenza, and other viruses.”
Amberder believes awareness of RSV is increasing, but a lack of patient education, coupled with vaccine fatigue from COVID-19 and influenza, means that the three types of RSV for people over 60 are becoming more common. This may be the reason why there is so little interest in the new RSV vaccine.
As recently as 18 months ago, there was no RSV vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved GSK’s Arexvy, the country’s first RSV vaccine, on May 3, 2023. In a statement that day, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, saw this as an opportunity. This is an important public health achievement in preventing potentially life-threatening diseases. ”
The FDA approved Pfizer’s Abrysvo on May 31, 2023, and did the same for Moderna’s mResvia exactly one year later. However, as of spring 2024, just weeks before mResvia’s approval, fewer than 25% of eligible adults 60 and older had received the RSV vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
One in five seniors plans to receive RSV vaccine
Vaccine uptake may not improve significantly during the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season. According to a survey conducted in August by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), fewer than two in five people (38%) plan to receive the RSV vaccine, and 21% of them “definitely get it”. , 17% said they would probably accept it. Intention. “Nearly half (44%) said they were unsure whether to get vaccinated (18%) or did not plan to get vaccinated (26%).
Those who said they would not get vaccinated cited the following reasons:
Concerns about vaccine side effects: 45% Concerns about vaccine-related illnesses: 38% Distrust of vaccines in general: 38% Not recommended by doctors: 24%
The newness of the RSV vaccine also creates mistrust, says NFID Medical Director Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr.
“Part of that is an overall decline in trust in vaccines and a general decline in trust in a lot of things related to health care,” Hopkins told Fortune. “That’s a lot of our barriers. And it’s also hard for a lot of people in the general public to say, ‘Wait a minute, if it’s so important, why didn’t I know about this virus before?’ I think so.”
Alternatively, survey respondents who said they planned to get vaccinated or weren’t sure considered the following factors:
To protect myself: 72% To avoid serious complications, including hospitalization and death: 61% Doctor’s recommendation: 59% To protect my family: 58% Los Angeles Lakers Legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson speaks with GSK alongside medical experts to educate people over 60 about the risks of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection at the Crenshaw Family YMCA in Los Angeles on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. Patient Advocates and Patient Advocates to Raise Awareness.
Allen J. Scherben/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
What is RSV?
Like coronavirus, the flu, and the common cold, RSV is a respiratory virus that infects the lungs, nose, and throat. According to the CDC, the RSV season in the U.S. typically occurs in the fall and winter, with peak periods in December and January. Still, it’s always respiratory syncytial virus season in some warmer climates, such as southeast Florida, and you can contract the virus year-round no matter where you live.
What are the symptoms of RSV?
According to the CDC, most people infected with RSV have mild, cold-like symptoms that appear 4 to 6 days after infection, including:
Congestion Cough Loss of appetite Fever Runny nose Sneezing Wheezing
The infant’s only symptoms include irritability, difficulty breathing, and decreased activity. If your symptoms worsen, you have difficulty breathing, or you are not drinking enough fluids, seek emergency medical treatment.
In most cases, proper hydration and over-the-counter pain medications can help manage symptoms, which can take 1 to 2 weeks to recover from RSV. However, children under the age of 5 and adults over the age of 60 are at increased risk of serious infections that result in hospitalization. The latter is also at risk of death.
Older people infected with RSV can develop pneumonia, and people with comorbidities such as asthma, heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have worse symptoms, the CDC says. There is. Approximately 6,000 to 10,000 people over the age of 65 die from RSV in the United States each year. In a study published last year in the Journal of Clinical Virology in subjects with an average age of 75, RSV infections were more severe than influenza infections.
Although respiratory syncytial virus is prevalent among young children and often causes severe symptoms, it’s important for the public to understand that the virus extends beyond young children, Amberder said. In fact, children may be a source of infection for even more vulnerable groups.
“Especially for people over the age of 75, (RSV) can require hospitalization and can cause very serious symptoms. We only associate it with children, so “I don’t think about it,” she told Fortune. “Grandparents come to visit their grandchildren, and those grandchildren could be carrying the virus. A 75- or 80-year-old grandpa could get sick, or go to the ER thinking he has the flu and not find out. Maybe not.”
Who should receive the RSV vaccine?
All three RSV vaccines have been approved by the FDA for adults 60 and older, but over the summer the CDC updated its vaccination recommendations.
Everyone age 75 and older should receive the RSV vaccine People ages 60 to 74 who are at increased risk for severe RSV, including those with certain chronic health conditions such as lung or heart disease, or those living in nursing homes. People who have the RSV vaccine should receive the RSV vaccine.
Although the CDC does not officially recommend the RSV vaccine for the general population under age 60, the FDA approved Alexvy in June for adults ages 50 to 59 who are at high risk for RSV lower respiratory illness. If in doubt, ask your doctor which RSV vaccine is right for you.
No vaccines are approved for infants. However, pregnant parents can provide passive immunity to their fetus by administering Abrisvo vaccine during the third trimester of pregnancy. Infants whose birth parents have not been vaccinated may be candidates for a monoclonal antibody treatment called nisevimab.
Here’s a breakdown of who is eligible to receive which RSV vaccine.
Moderna mRNA Vaccine (mResvia) For adults 60 years and older One dose required Recommended from late summer to early fall Pfizer Protein Vaccine (Abrysvo) For adults 60 years and older (Recommended from late summer to early fall) Pregnancy 32 – 36 weeks of age (recommended from September to January) 1 dose required GSK Protein Vaccine (Arexvy) For adults 60 years and older Adults 50 to 59 years at high risk of lower respiratory tract illness from RSV 1 dose Required Recommended from late summer to early fall
Influenza vaccines and current coronavirus vaccines are reformulated every year because the corresponding viruses mutate relatively quickly. Because RSV evolves slowly, one dose of Rvirus vaccine is sufficient to prevent severe infection, at least for the time being, Hopkins said.
“There are currently three vaccines available for older adults,” Hopkins said. For more people. ”
For more information about vaccines:
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