Vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). image source: GETTY IMAGES.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an infection that kills thousands of Americans each year.
The vaccine must be approved by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before it can be made available to the public.
GSK, the vaccine’s maker, has named it Arexvy, and officials have praised it as a remarkable breakthrough that will save many lives.
It is scheduled to be available to everyone over the age of 60 in the coming months.
According to Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, the clearance of the first RSV vaccination is an important achievement for public health since it can avert a potentially fatal virus.
RSV is a respiratory illness that usually results in mild cold-like symptoms for adults, but it can pose a severe threat to young children, older adults, and people with underlying health conditions.
According to the CDC, RSV causes the deaths of an estimated 100-300 children under the age of 5 each year in the US.
It also leads to the deaths of approximately 6,000 to 10,000 adults over the age of 65 and results in between 60,000 to 120,000 hospitalizations annually.
In severe cases, RSV can cause bronchiolitis, which involves a buildup of inflammation in the lungs and difficulty breathing.
The newly approved vaccine, named Arexvy by GSK, has been in development for over 60 years, and it is the first vaccine anywhere in the world to be approved for the prevention of RSV.
The vaccine achieved an efficacy rate of 82.6% in a research undertaken by the UK-based pharmaceutical company GSK, which was released in February.
The reported side effects were usually mild to moderate and vanished within two days.
The most commonly reported negative effects were injection site discomfort and weariness.
RSV in children
- RSV generally begins with cold-like symptoms, such as a blocked or runny nose. It can then lead to a dry cough, fever, and, in extreme cases, difficulty breathing.
- RSV is usually moderate in children and can be treated at home with infant paracetamol or ibuprofen. However, It is critical to seek medical attention if your child is not feeding normally, is breathing rapidly, or has a high fever that does not go away with medication.
- If your child is struggling to breathe and appears fatigued, contact emergency authorities right away.
- The muscles under the ribs contract visibly with each breath, indicating respiratory distress, and your youngster seems pale and sweating.