CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Around this time last there was spike in in respiratory syntactical virus infection cases across the nation, but now a new vaccine for adults is hoping to help.
Dr. Sabeen Rani with Rani Pediatrics in Corpus Christi, said babies under the age of one-years-old are more at risk of long term side effects.
"It’s like cold like symptoms in babies under the age of one year or babies that have significant cardiac problems or lung problems. Or babies that are born prematurely it can actually cause them to get pretty sick," Rani said.
Rani said last year there was a rise in cases last year in the coastal bend as well.
"We were seeing at least 20 to 25 (cases) per week of RSV during our peak season," Rani said.
The high numbers of RSV cases last year is why Rani said parents must stay alert as cases may start to increase.
"Again we want to make sure that they are washing their hands really well, and if you are sick avoid other people that are in complications of having complications with RSV," she said.
Rani said parents with kids that have lung problems or special needs it’s important to watch for symptoms closely as they are more vulnerable to the virus.
"You need to keep an eye on their breathing," Rani said. "If they are having an increased breathing or if they are having persistent wheezing they are seeming like they are lethargic or they are not eating as well then those are emergency room signs,”
Rani said a vaccine is currently out for adults and a vaccine for kids is expected to be out later this year.
Rani said even though the vaccine will not fully avoid the spread, it will prevent the complications people can develop from this virus or avoid ending up in the ICU.
"It will decrease hospitalizations it will decrease the number of sick days for both mommy daddy and the baby and it will decrease ICU stays as well," Rani said.
Dr. Rani said while RSV season is not high yet in our area, it’s important to stay up to date with vaccinations.
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