About Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Who is most at risk for getting very sick from RSV?

Some children and older adults are at greater risk for severe RSV disease.

This includes premature infants, infants under 6 months, children younger than 2 years old with chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease, or children with weakened immune systems and young American Indian and Alaskan Native children.

Adults at highest risk for RSV include anyone 75 years of age and older and those 50-74 years of age with certain chronic diseases (including heart, lung, or immunocompromising conditions), other medical conditions (including severe obesity and severe diabetes), and residents in long-term care settings.

How is RSV spread?

RSV can spread in the following ways:

• A person with RSV coughs or sneezes, releasing tiny droplets into the air that can enter your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Touching hands, objects, or surfaces that have germs from the nose or mouth of a person with the virus and then touching your face before washing your hands. Items can include tissues, doorknobs, or other items.

It usually takes 4-6 days from the time a person is in contact with the virus until symptoms start. People with RSV are usually contagious for 3-8 days after symptoms start, although it can be longer in some cases.

What can I do to protect myself and others?

• Avoid close contact with ill people such as kissing or shaking hands.
• Avoid sharing drinking cups, straws, water bottles, or eating utensils, especially if you or others have any cold-like symptoms.
• Consider masking indoors as an added layer of protection against respiratory illness.
• Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue or your sleeve.
• Dispose of used tissues in the trash.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
• Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces (this may include doorknobs, handles, and mobile devices).
• Get vaccinated if you never received a dose of RSV vaccine and are 75 years of age or older, or 50-74 years and at risk of severe disease.
• Talk to your healthcare provider if you are pregnant about protecting your baby from RSV by either getting yourself vaccinated or getting your baby immunized after birth.

When should I contact a healthcare provider?

You should contact a healthcare provider if you have:

• Severe symptoms such as pauses in breathing (children), wheezing, or lung congestion.
  OR
• Concerns about respiratory symptoms and are at risk for severe disease, such as premature infants, infants younger than 6 months old, people with chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease, or people with weakened immune symptoms.

A healthcare provider will decide if testing is needed.

Can my child participate in childcare or school?

• Children with RSV can return to childcare settings when their fever is gone (without the use of fever reducing medication) and they are well enough to participate in routine activities. For example, they can eat and drink normally, have no respiratory difficulty, are alert and active, playful, and do not have a lot of nasal secretions).
• RSV and influenza testing should not be used to determine when a child can return to childcare.

Protection from RSV through immunization

Getting immunized can reduce the risk for infants and older adults of getting very sick with RSV, preventing hospitalization and death.