HORSHAM, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — A vaccine shown to be effective in preventing hospitalizations and severe disease from RSV is now available for adults over 60 years of age.
Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is typically associated with infants and young children, but according to the CDC, 60,000 to 160,000 older Americans end up in the hospital each year because of the virus, and it’s blamed for between 6,000 and 10,000 deaths.
Peggy Young and Joanne Vannett got the new vaccine, Arexvy, as soon as it was available this week at Eric’s RX Shoppe in Horsham. They spoke to our partners at NBC10 about getting vaccinated.
“I'm over 65 and I just wanted to make sure that I don't get that sick,” Young said.
“I can remember standing in line and getting a sugar cube for the polio vaccine. I had all the childhood diseases. I remember what that's like. My grandkids won’t go through that,” shared Vanett, who was first in line for the shot.
Related
Co-owner Marc Ost said Eric’s has seen a lot of interest in the RSV vaccine over the past several months.
“We've had customers calling us for the last probably four or five months. ‘I want to come in and come get my RSV vaccine.’ Well, it wasn't available, but now it is available,” Ost declared.
The CDC says people over age 60, adults with chronic lung or heart disease or weakened immune systems, and adults living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities are at the highest risk, especially in the fall and winter months when RSV, coronavirus, and flu circulate concurrently.
In May, the FDA approved two RSV vaccines for adults over 60, which the CDC greenlighted last month. An RSV antibody treatment for infants is in the works. It got FDA approval last week and awaits formal review by the CDC.
Related
