Lucas Cerna’s mother is taking proactive steps to protect him from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by getting him vaccinated while his pediatrician still has stock available.
“I have just been seeing a lot in the news, and babies get really sick, so I was like, might as well just do it,” Cerna’s mother, Alexandra Perez, told CBS News.
The Beyfortus antibody shot, co-manufactured by AstraZeneca and Sanofi, received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in July as a preventive measure against RSV in infants and children up to 24 months old.
The demand for the shot has been unprecedented. It is so popular that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now recommending pediatricians like Dr. Jennifer Shu at Children’s Medical Group in Atlanta to prioritize administering it to their most vulnerable patients, such as infants younger than six months and those with underlying medical conditions.
“We’re hoping it’s going to really cut down on hospitalizations, as well as complications like pneumonia or even death,” said Shu, who noted that in Georgia, RSV cases are still increasing and she is running low on shots.
Parts of the southern U.S. have seen a surge in RSV transmission in recent months, according to the CDC.
Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, reported last Friday that more than 200 of its patients tested positive for RSV last week.
RSV symptoms include high fever, worsening cough, and difficulty breathing, which can lead to hospitalization and potentially fatal outcomes.
“Their immune systems aren’t developed yet,” explained Shu regarding why infants are particularly vulnerable to RSV. “…The second thing is their airways are a little bit smaller.”
Chris Comstock’s 20-month-old daughter Adilynn contracted RSV in September, spending nine days fighting for her life at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospital.
“I just remember my wife and I were standing in the hospital room crying, going ‘What do you do?'” Comstock said. “I have zero control, sitting in that hospital room, knowing I can do nothing to help my child.
And then watching her walk and run and get back to health again. You can’t put a price tag on the thankfulness that we have.”
