Seasonal Recommendations to Prevent RSV

Vincent Iannelli, MD

2 years ago

Are you ready for RSV season? Do you understand the seasonal recommendations to prevent RSV?

Do you even know when to expect RSV season?

When Is RSV Season?

In a typical year, RSV season begins in October (or September), peaks in December (or January), and ends in April (or May).

And while the respiratory syncytial virus can make anyone sick, it can cause severe disease in those who are high risk, especially young children and seniors. High risk categories also include children with chronic lung disease of prematurity, severe immunocompromise, and cystic fibrosis.

Seasonal Recommendations to Prevent RSV

And that’s why we have seasonal recommendations to prevent RSV.

These recommendations help ensure that everyone will be best protected during RSV season.

Seasonal recommendations to prevent RSV depend on whether you are giving a child Beyfortus, a pregnant woman Abrysvo, or a senior a RSV vaccine.

Seasonal recommendations that include giving:

Beyfortus, a monoclonal antibody, to newborns and infants less than 8 months old during their first RSV season, typically from October 1 to March 31.
Beyfortus to older infants, 8 to 19 months old, during their second RSV season.
Abrysvo, an RSV vaccine, to pregnant women who are 32 to 36 weeks pregnant from September to January
RSV vaccines, Arexvy, mResvia, or Abrysvo, to everyone who is 75 and older (if not yet vaccinated) at any time, but it might be best to get your shot in late summer or early fall.
RSV vaccines to everyone who is 60 to 74 years who are at high risk for severe RSV disease (if not yet vaccinated) at any time, but it might be best to get your shot in late summer or early fall.

So that leaves us with three different RSV prevention seasons:

October 1 to March 31 = RSV prevention season for Beyfortus
September to January = RSV prevention season for Abrysvo in pregnancy
late summer or early fall = RSV prevention season for seniors, although they can actually get an RSV vaccine at any time of the year

Got it?

If you still don’t understand these seasonal recommendations, remember that:

While a shot of Beyfortus works well to protect your child against RSV, the antibodies they get last for about five months. That’s long enough to protect them through a typical RSV season, including through the peak, but might not last all of the way to the end of the season if them get it too early.
When a pregnant woman gets Abrysvo, it stimulates her to make RSV antibodies, which then are transferred to her baby. As with other maternal antibodies, those antibodies are only going to last about five months once your child is born.
Some vaccines offer peak protection soon after you get them and then protection slowly wanes over time. In case that happens with the RSV vaccines, it might be best to get vaccinated just before RSV season.

That’s not all you have to know though…

If you received an RSV vaccine during your pregnancy, then your baby likely doesn’t need to get Beyfortus. There is no recommendation to get both for extra protection except in some very specific circumstances for high risk babies.
If your baby was born in March or April and didn’t get a dose of Beyfortus and you didn’t get a dose of Abrysvo while pregnant, then your infant can get a dose of Beyfortus in October, as long as they aren’t yet 8 months old, even though it is their second RSV season.
If you got a dose of Abrysvo less than two weeks before your baby was born, then your baby can still get Beyfortus, as there wasn’t enough time for you to make antibodies and pass them to your baby.
Infants can get their shot of Beyfortus anytime during RSV prevention season, but ideally, they would get it within 1 week after birth to be sure they are protected. Remember, the longer you wait, then the longer they are unprotected and that leaves them time to be exposed and get RSV.
children who have had RSV can still get Beyfortus at any time they are feeling better.
Beyfortus and RSV vaccines can be given at the same time other vaccines are given.
if your high risk toddler is age 20 months or older, they can not get Beyfortus, as they would be entering their third RSV season and should have some protection from prior infections. If they are 20-24 months old and high risk, they might be able to get Synagis though.
Fortunately, side effects of Beyfortus are usually mild, but can include rash, pain, swelling, or hardness at the site of your child’s injection. Side effects of RSV vaccines in adults are also usually mild, including pain, redness, and swelling where the shot is given, fatigue (feeling tired), fever, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and muscle or joint pain. Sign up for V-safe after you get your RSV vaccine and report any side effects to VAERS.
Talk to your health care provider if your child has any contraindications to getting Beyfortus or you have any contraindications to getting an RSV vaccine.

Also know that while it is expensive, Beyfortus does seem to be well covered by most insurance plans and is available through the Vaccines for Children Program.

More on RSV Prevention Season

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