ATLANTA — The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its recommendations for the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, vaccine, advising all adults aged 75 and older to receive a single dose, as well as adults aged 60-74 with certain medical conditions or who reside in nursing homes.
The change aims to protect those at higher risk from severe RSV disease.
RSV vaccines have proven to be effective in reducing severe illness in older adults.
Each year, between 100,000-160,000 adults aged 60 and older in the United States are hospitalized due to RSV infections, according to CDC estimates.
The updated recommendation follows data collected from the first year that these vaccines were available and emphasizes the importance of vaccination for those in vulnerable age groups.
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Healthcare providers are encouraged to recommend the RSV vaccine to their patients in the specified age groups, particularly before the fall and winter respiratory virus season begins, which is typically late summer or early fall in most of the United States.
“Adults aged 60 and older who are at increased risk should get vaccinated to protect against severe RSV disease,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the contributing scientists.
For those who have already received an RSV vaccine, no additional doses are needed at this time.
The CDC continues to fund and support various systems that monitor vaccine effectiveness, safety, and RSV disease trends.
Ensuring older adults receive the RSV vaccine could significantly reduce hospitalizations and severe cases of the virus, particularly during the high-risk seasons.
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