Home » News & Events » RSV Transmission and Protection
from NCOA
Many people associate respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) with young children. While it’s often linked to infants and toddlers, RSV can also cause serious illness in older adults, especially those with certain health conditions.
So, how does RSV spread—and what can you do to protect yourself and those you care about?
RSV is a common respiratory virus that affects the nose, throat, lungs, and breathing passages. Almost everyone gets it at least once in their lifetime, usually as an infant or toddler. But adults can get it, too.
For most healthy adults, RSV causes mild, cold-like symptoms that fade away in a week or two. But for older people, especially those aged 75 or older and those with chronic disease, RSV can lead to complications like pneumonia.
“RSV infections in adults can trigger acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and can exacerbate asthma and chronic cardiopulmonary disease, or COPD,” Atlanta-based internal medicine physician Sandra Fryhofer, MD told the American Medical Association (AMA). “RSV infection rates are nearly two times higher in patients with COPD as compared to others.”
Since it can look a lot like other respiratory illnesses, RSV often flies under the radar. That’s why it’s essential to understand how contagious this virus is and how to prevent it.
Like a cold or flu, RSV spreads easily from person to person. The RSV virus can live on hard surfaces for several hours, and on hands for about 30 minutes. That means it’s easy to pick up without realizing it.
Three RSV vaccines are currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in adults. CDC recommends a single dose of the vaccine for all adults age 75 and older and adults age 50 to 74 who have a high risk for severe RSV disease.
Getting vaccinated helps lower your risk of serious RSV illness, hospitalization, and death. It’s especially a priority if you have a condition like chronic heart, lung, or liver disease—or you live in a nursing home or other long-term care facility where viruses can spread rapidly.
You may be able to get your RSV shot at your doctor’s office, your workplace, local pharmacies, and vaccine clinics in your area. And if you have Medicare or Medicaid, the vaccine should cost you nothing out of pocket.
If you’re caring for an older adult with RSV—or trying to prevent transmission in your home—keep these tips in mind:
Your vigilance can help protect the health and comfort of your care recipient (as well as your own).
>>Read full article
