The Ohio Department of Health said a newly-approved vaccine for infants to help fight respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, could be available by mid-October and is being recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.
ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said at a virtual news conference that the vaccine, called Nirsevimab, had just been approved by the FDA and it could soon be available to help combat the serious respiratory virus. He said Ohio experienced the disease last fall in near record numbers, and nationally it is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants under one year of age.
Dr. Vanderhoff said the CDC recommends that infants born shortly before or during RSV season should get a shot within one week of birth and those younger than eight months who haven't had a shot should get one shortly before the season starts.
Vanderhoff said babies who are between 8 months and 19 months and have underlying risks that make them more vulnerable to hospitalization, include premature babies with undeveloped lungs, children with cystic fibrosis and those with severely compromised immune systems.
Dr. Michael Forbes, the Chief Academic Officer at Akron Children's Hospital, said RSV can either be life changing and potentially life threatening.
Dr. Forbes called the new vaccine a "historic moment" for pediatrics.
"The good news is the safety profile for the drug is very, very favorable," he said.
Forbes said the vaccine had very minimal side effects, most commonly inflammation at the site of an injection, which also developed in the placebo group during the test that did not receive the actual vaccine.
"So very safe, highly effective. It reduces the chances or the risk of a medically attended RSV-related encounter by about 70% overall and reduces hospitalization by almost 75%," Dr. Forbes said.
Dr. Vanderhoff said this new shot is going to be included in the federal Vaccines for Children program.
"This means that it will be available free of charge to many children who are uninsured or whose insurance plans may not cover shots or vaccines," Dr. Vanderhoff said.
Dr. Vanderhoff made the announcement at a press conference where he also updated members of the media about increasing COVID-19 boosters and children's mental health treatment ahead of school starting. He said COVID-19 cases are still at some of the lowest levels since the start of the pandemic.
"While this is generally good news, it's also quite clear that COVID isn't gone and that we really do need to prepare ourselves for the upcoming fall and winter respiratory season, which will undoubtedly include COVID, influenza and RSV again this year," he said.
Dr. Vanderhoff also said parents should be monitoring their children's physical and mental health as the school year begins. He said resources like the 988 suicide prevention and crisis hotline are available to people who need mental health assistance.
