UVA Health: RSV vaccine for infants could be ready by summer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Doctors at UVA Health say an RSV vaccine for infants could be ready as soon as this summer. They say it could make a huge difference for pediatric offices and hospitals.

Infectious disease expert Doctor Costi Sifri says that this past year, UVA’s pediatric floor was overwhelmed with sick patients, and this vaccine could help prevent that.

Dr. Sifri says the vaccine would be given to pregnant mothers so that the antibodies are passed onto the child, protecting them up until six months of age.

“The data that was presented showed that the vaccine was about 82%, protective against severe RSV for those mothers that received the vaccine compared to those that did not so, you know, very interesting data, exciting data,” Dr. Sifri said.

Dr. Sifri says that there are also some new therapeutics in the works for RSV, and these new tools together will be very helpful going into the next RSV season.

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