season, it’s season. RSV, which stands for respiratory syncytial virus, is a highly contagious illness that affects people of all ages, especially in the late fall and winter (cases usually peak in December and January).
You might not even realize what it is when you have it—most of the time, it causes mild, cold-like symptoms. However, , this common virus can take a very serious turn, even leading to hospitalization or death.
Older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system, heart or lung disease, or other underlying medical conditions are among the groups more likely to develop severe RSV.The other group at the highest risk when it comes to RSV is children under age five, and specifically infants—especially preterm babies and infants under six months old.
The younger the child, the smaller their lungs, and the higher the risk that their tiny airways can become inflamed and dangerously narrowed in response to an RSV infection.