CDC is recommending a new immunization starting this fall to help protect all infants under eight months of age and some older babies at increased risk of severe illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV is one of the most common causes of childhood respiratory illness and results in annual outbreaks of respiratory illnesses in all age groups. Each year, an estimated 100 to 300 children younger than five years of age die due to RSV.
CDC recommends one dose of Nirsevimab, which was approved last month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for all infants younger than eight months, born during – or entering – their first RSV season. This is typically fall through spring. For a small group of children between the ages of eight months and 19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease, such as children who are severely immunocompromised, a dose is recommended in their second season.
For more information, visit CDC’s RSV in Infants and Young Children webpage. Read the full press release at CDC Recommends a Powerful New Tool to Protect Infants from the Leading Cause of Hospitalization.