atlanta — Lucas Serna’s mother told him RS virus My pediatrician shot it while it was still in stock.
“You keep seeing it on the news and babies get really sick, so I thought it might be a good idea to do it,” Sarna’s mother, Alexandra Perez, told CBS News.
The Bayfortas antibody shot, made by pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Sanofi, is approved The Food and Drug Administration approved it in July as a way to prevent RSV in infants and children up to 24 months of age.
demand The shot was unprecedented.It’s so popular that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has I’m currently recommending Pediatricians like Dr. Jennifer Hsu of Children’s Medical Group of Atlanta are giving the drug only to the most vulnerable patients, such as infants younger than 6 months and those with underlying health conditions that put them at risk. .
“We’re hopeful that we’ll really see a reduction not only in hospitalizations but also complications like pneumonia and deaths,” Shu said, adding that cases are still rising in Georgia and vaccinations are all but running out. .
According to the CDC, parts of the southern United States have seen an increase in RSV infections in recent months. Cook Children’s Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas; reported on Friday Last week, more than 200 of the patients tested positive for RSV.
Symptoms of RSV include high fever, worsening cough, and difficulty breathing. This condition can lead to hospitalization and even death.
“An infant’s immune system is not yet developed,” Shu said, explaining why infants are so vulnerable to RSV. “…The second thing is that their airways are a little bit smaller.”
Chris Comstock’s 20-month-old daughter, Adilynn, contracted RSV in September. She continued to fight for her life for nine days at Children’s Medical Hospital Atlanta.
“All I remember is my wife and I standing in the hospital room crying, saying, ‘What are you doing?'” Comstock said. “I’m sitting in the hospital room, unable to control myself, knowing I can’t do anything to help my child, and watching her walk and run and become healthy again. You can’t put a price tag on the gratitude we receive.” ”