Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is mostly a minor ‘common cold’ for us, but for the very young and the elderly, it can cause severe infections eg pneumonia. Each year it can cause 30,000 hospitalisations and 20-30 deaths amongst infants, whilst amongst the elderly it can cause around 9,000 hospital admissions, mostly in those aged over 75.
Conversations with a few of our aspergillosis patients suggest that this is a point of concern for them as although asthma & aspergillosis is not specifically mentioned as a risk factor for infection, many have young children or grandchildren who they are wary of visiting during the winter months for fear of catching an RSV infection.
RSV infections usually peak during the winter months in the UK.
We now have two new vaccines available to help prevent infection and hospitalisation, and the UK government has opted to introduce a nationwide program to vaccinate the most vulnerable i.e. pregnant women to protect the child after birth and those aged 75-79. The program will start in Scotland on 18th August and 1st September for England, Wales and N. Ireland.