Susan Hepworth
The National Coalition for Infant Health is a collaborative of more than 200 professional, clinical, community health, and family support organizations focused on improving the lives of A collaborative of professional, clinical, community health, and family support organizations improving the lives of premature infants and their families through premature infants through age two and their families. NCfIH’s mission is to promote lifelong clinical, health, education, and supportive services needed by premature infants and their families. NCfIH prioritizes safety of this vulnerable population and access to approved therapies.
Wash your hands. Cover your nose. It’s familiar advice, but more people seem to be following it in the wake of a global pandemic. In fact, the behaviors aimed at helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 have also curbed the spread of other common viruses.
Cases of flu, for example, remain unusually low this year. During the 2019 flu season, the CDC reported more than 65,000 cases of influenza nationwide. During the same period this flu season, the agency reported just over 1,000 cases so far. Increased use of f lu vaccine, which is readily available to just about everyone, may have also contributed to the decline.
Fewer cases of the respiratory syncytial virus are also being reported. The seasonal virus can be deadly for infants and young children, so less of it is an unexpected silver lining of COVID-19. Experts warn against complacency, though.
“While we’re not seeing as many severe cases of RSV right now, we are still seeing some, and parents must remain vigilant,” said Suzanne Staebler, DNP. “RSV is still circulating, and it’s still dangerous.”
Staying alert to symptoms is good advice – as the dip is likely temporary. A rebound of new viral infections is expected when current precautionary measures and ongoing travel restrictions subside. And next season is already anticipated to be more severe than usual due to lack of exposure this year.
Like the flu and COVID-19, there is a preventive treatment for RSV. Getting babies access to it, however, has historically been difficult. Upward of 40% of prescriptions for the treatment are denied by health plans for some of the most at-risk infants.
The world remains laser-focused on the distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations, and rightly so. The mass vaccination effort is critical to the world’s return to “normal.” Yet when coronavirus fades, policymakers would do well to shift their focus toward ensuring better access to the RSV preventive treatment. It, too, has the potential to save thousands of precious young lives.
References:
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/weeklyarchives2020-2021/week52.htm
- https://instituteforpatientaccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IfPA-ReportCard-RSV-2020-National.pdf
Disclosure: The author has no relevant disclosures.
Corresponding Author
Susan Hepworth
Director
National Coalition for Infant Health 2020 K Street NW
Suite 505
Washington, DC 20006
Email: info@infanthealth.org