Staying Healthy
Who should get an RSV vaccination this year?
News briefs
- Reviewed by Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Have you gotten a vaccine yet for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)? That's the potentially vicious bug that can cause a common cold, infections in the upper parts of the respiratory tract, or infection in the lower respiratory tract (such as pneumonia). Last year the CDC recommended that infants, young children, and all adults ages 60 and older get the RSV shot (which is not an annual vaccination). This year, the CDC has narrowed that guidance. An RSV shot is now advised for infants, young children, everyone ages 75 and older, regardless of health; and people ages 60 to 74 who are at increased risk for severe RSV, such as people with lung or heart disease or those who live in nursing homes. So if you haven't ever gotten the RSV vaccine, you can skip the shot for now if you're an adult age 74 or younger and you're not at increased risk for severe RSV. The new recommendation comes after concerns that the vaccine is tied to very rare cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, an autoimmune condition that can lead to bodywide paralysis.
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About the Author
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
About the Reviewer
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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