Last updated on 9/26/2024.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory illness in babies and young children every year from late fall to early spring. In 2023, the FDA approved a new RSV treatment for babies and toddlers called Beyfortus. With Beyfortus available again this year, families will be able to get ahead of the RSV season and protect their young ones.
Learn more about the availability of Beyfortus at Children’s Minnesota here.
What is RSV?
RSV is a virus that causes an infection in the lungs and breathing passages and can be dangerous for infants and young children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Virtually all children get an RSV infection by the time they are 2 years old.”
Most times, an RSV infection will be mild and cold-like, but in severe cases, babies can develop bronchiolitis or pneumonia. The CDC estimates 58,000 to 80,000 children younger than 5 years of age, most of them infants, are hospitalized each year nationwide due to RSV infection.
What is Beyfortus?
Beyfortus is essentially a one-time injection of antibodies so that babies and toddlers don’t have to create it when they get infected with RSV. Having antibodies helps our body fight off infections by recognizing and removing bacteria and viruses from our bodies. Learn more about the new treatment option on the FDA website.
Who can get Beyfortus?
Beyfortus is approved for the following groups:
- Babies under 8 months old who are born during or entering their first RSV season.
- Toddlers up to 2 years old that are vulnerable to severe infections from respiratory illnesses will be able to get a second dose during their second RSV season.
Learn more about the availability of Beyfortus at Children’s Minnesota here.
Why families should consider getting Beyfortus
When there was a spike in respiratory illnesses last year, hospitals everywhere were overwhelmed, and families were waiting for hours to be seen in emergency rooms across the nation. Some patients had to spend a week or more in the hospital or even in the intensive care unit (ICU).
The new treatment option went through three clinical trials before getting approved and in all three trials, it was shown to effectively prevent severe cases of RSV in infants. The experts at Children’s Minnesota strongly encourage families to get Beyfortus to protect their young ones. Even if a baby or toddler gets RSV, the treatment is demonstrating in trials a 70% reduction of a child needing to be seen by a physician for respiratory illness or hospitalization.
Children’s Minnesota recommends getting Beyfortus for your child anywhere you can. Learn more about the availability of Beyfortus at Children’s Minnesota here.
