Immature immune systems and anatomically disadvantaged respiratory systems place infants and young children at the highest risk for serious and life-threatening illness from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)Â and other respiratory viral illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 2.1 million outpatient visits among children younger than 5 years old and up to 80,000 hospitalizations in that same population each year.
RSV is a virus that causes common cold symptoms, but it can also cause airway inflammation. Although anyone can get RSV, premature infants and patients under the age of two are most vulnerable.
How does RSV spread?
Droplets from coughs or sneezes can carry RSV, making it highly contagious, especially in childcare facilities and schools.
What are symptoms of RSV?
RSV can present with a runny nose, decreased appetite, cough and/or wheezing or difficulty breathing. In very young infants, you may notice irritability and decreased activity, too. Fever doesn’t always accompany RSV.
Can RSV be prevented?
To avoid RSV and severe illness in your family, you should wash your hands and clean surfaces frequently, cover coughs, and avoid close contact with sick individuals. If you or your child become sick, stay home.
The FDA approved and the CDC’s ACIP recommends nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody for passive immunization expected to reduce the risk of severe RSV disease by about 80%. Nirsevimab is recommended for infants:
- less than 8 months old entering their first RSV
- mother did not receive a maternal RSV vaccination or the mother’s RSV vaccination status is unknown
- born less than 14 days after mother’s maternal RSV vaccination
For children in their second RSV season, nirsevimab is recommended for:
- child 8-19 months who is at increased risk of severe RSV disease
- child born prematurely and has chronic lung disease
- child severely immunocompromised
- child with cystic fibrosis and severe disease
- American Indian or Alaskan Native children 8-19 months old
For pregnant women, the FDA approved and the CDC’s ACIP recommends bivalent RSVpreF vaccine for use during RSV season with pregnancy between 32-36 weeks. This vaccine is commercially available as Abrysvo. Ask your maternal health provider for more information.
To protect against other respiratory diseases and reduce sickness in your household, you should have everyone who is 6 months and older vaccinated for influenza (flu) and COVID-19.
Provider Need to Know Info​
Administering Nirsevimab In Your Practice
This innovative monoclonal preventive antibody is commercially available as Beyfortus. In response to providers’ questions, NAPNAP has curated available resources for your practice.
- NEW: Pediatrician and OB/GYN Survey on RSV Immunization – CDC
- Available in the Vaccines for Children program – read CDC information about VFC program benefits for hospitals
- CDC Infant RSV Prevention At-A-Glance
- CDC RSV IIS
- CDC RSV Interactive Dashboard – tracking recently reported surveillance data
- Cracking the Codes – provider coverage finder tool provides additional context to the coverage status of nirsevimab by state or zip look up; utilizes a partnership with third party vendors, using documented coverage policies to feed the tool and provide coverage details to providers
- Beyfortus prescribing information
- Beyfortus provider coding and billing instructionsÂ
- Standing Orders for Administering Nirsevimab RSV Preventive Antibody to Infants (immunize.org)
RSV Provider Pocket Guide
RSV Micro-learning
NAPNAP has created a series of micro-learning videos, each just five minutes, to break down a specific clinical aspect of RSV in videos that can be viewed whenever and wherever, and as often as you like. Hear from your expert colleagues with experience from primary care, pediatric pulmonology specialty, and the PICU, as they discuss aspects of RSV care and help prepare you to better serve your patients and families.
Hear from Our Experts
On Jan. 23, 2025, NAPNAP experts Andrea Kline-Tilford, PhD, CPNP-AC/PC, FAAN and Maria Chelsea Woosley, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC/PC were featured in a radio media tour about RSV. Listen to one of their interviews.
English version
Versión en español
NAPNAP expert Karen Acevedo, MS, APRN, CPNP, recorded an audio news release about RSV and prevention. Click to listen.
English version
Versión en español
NAPNAP member expert and former member-at-large Dr. Chelsea Woosley was a speaker at the National Coalition for Infant Health’s 2023 webinar to educate viewers about the real-world impact of RSV on infants, children and families, and new options to reduce RSV’s burden.Â
RSV Awareness Campaign
NAPNAP’s social media campaign aims to build awareness about RSV to protect vulnerable patients. NAPNAP member experts helped us explore different topics, such as identification, prevention and treatment strategies pertaining to pediatric RSV cases.
With new topics being explored each week, this social media campaign is an excellent way for us to share quick but informative resources for our pediatric-focused NP community to share with their patient families.
Follow this awareness campaign by visiting one of NAPNAP’s social media accounts.
Other Resources
NAPNAP Official Statement on the Pediatric RSV Crisis
RSV Poster – NAPNAP member experts Emily Davis, Brittany Bradshaw and Karen Acevedo collaborated to create an infographic-type poster. This poster will be distributed to members to help inform their pediatric patient families about the common signs and symptoms of RSV and prevention and treatment options.Â
CDC RSV Immunization Guidance for Infants and Young Children
RSV Resources & Positions – National Coalition for Infant Health
What Parents and Caregivers Need to Know about RSV (flip to p. 12) – digital magazine article by NAPNAP’s Dr. Jennifer Sonney
RSV patient and family information in English and en Espa̱ol РNAPNAP/KidsHealth
RSV/public health video – National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID)
General guidance – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CDC RSV Vaccines
