An RSV Vaccine May Be On The Way For Nervous Pregnant Moms
If you have children or know people with young children, you are likely hearing the word RSV a lot. According to TODAY, RSV outbreaks are at an all-time high this year, mainly due to two years of social distancing and masking. But RSV is not a new disease. In fact, it has been around forever and as adults, we have likely contracted RSV many times throughout our lifetimes. And while it is nothing more than a common cold for older children and adults, it can be scary and often life-threatening for babies.
According to Mayo Clinic, RSV is an infection of the lungs and respiratory tract and usually results in congestion, cough, sore throat, and a headache. In babies 12 months and younger, the symptoms are much worse and could result in wheezing, trouble breathing, and trouble eating. In fact, many infants who are infected with RSV end up in the hospital for their symptoms, making it a scary disease for many parents of young children. But there is light at the end of the RSV tunnel as a vaccine for pregnant moms is now in the works.
Pregnant moms may be able to get an RSV vaccine next year
According to CNN, RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalizations in the United States. So the fact that there is no vaccine for the disease has troubled parents from all over the country for years. But recent news has many parents or parents-to-be hopeful for their future babies. Per CNBC, recent data has proven that Pfizer's RSV vaccine is effective in preventing newborns from contracting RSV or having serious illness or needing hospitalization as a result of contracting the disease. The data is so promising that Pfizer plans to submit their vaccine to the FDA by the end of 2022, meaning we could see an RSV vaccine by the time the next RSV season hits. This vaccine will be given to pregnant women to pass the antibodies onto their unborn child, keeping them safe upon birth and beyond.
And while this is the first vaccine to make it this far in recent years, it is not the first attempt at an RSV vaccine. In fact, per CNN, the first trials for an RSV vaccine began way back in the 1960s. Unfortunately, those trials were not successful and since then, companies have been trying to find a way to help infants avoid severe infection. After the FDA receives the vaccine they will review it and hopefully, parents and babies everywhere can breathe a deep, full breath.