(WXYZ) — In today’s Health Alert, a new study shows that one dose of the RSV vaccine may protect older adults through not just one, but two cold and flu seasons. However, the protection faded over time.
For the study, researchers looked at nearly 7,000 adults over the age of 60. All had been hospitalized with severe breathing problems in 20 states.
And here’s what they found: the RSV vaccine works. RSV is short for respiratory syncytial virus. Overall, the shot cut the risk of hospitalization by about 58% over two seasons. Breaking it down, in the first season after the shot, protection was strongest and lowered the risk of being hospitalized by about 69%. In the second season, protection dropped, but was still nearly 50%.
Researchers also found much lower protection for people with weakened immune systems or heart disease - about 30% and 56% protection over two years.
One reason RSV is so dangerous is that it can make existing health problems worse. It can flare up asthma, COPD, or worsen heart failure. It can also lead to pneumonia and other serious lung infections.
Scientists say boosters may be needed later, especially as protection fades with time.
The CDC says this is not an annual vaccine like the flu shot. Right now, just one dose is recommended. But these results suggest the guidelines may need another look.
As for the best time to get the vaccine, that’s right before RSV season begins. For most of the U.S., including Michigan, that means now through October.
Those eligible for the vaccine include seniors 75 and older, and adults ages 50 to 74 who are at higher risk. That includes people with chronic heart or lung conditions, chronic liver disease, those with weakened immune systems, people living in nursing homes, and those with severe obesity.
For many people, RSV feels like a cold - runny nose, cough, low fever, sore throat. But for certain groups, like older adults, it can be life-threatening. Every year, RSV leads to about 150,000 hospitalizations and 8,000 deaths in seniors.
The good news is that this study shows RSV vaccines can prevent hospitalizations and serious illness in older adults. My advice: if you qualify, talk to your doctor about whether the RSV vaccine is right for you.
