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Should You Get an RSV Vaccine? CDC Updates Guidance

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Should You Get an RSV Vaccine? CDC Updates Guidance

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revised its criteria for who should get vaccinated against RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), a common virus that is generally harmless but that can cause serious and even life-threatening complications in the vulnerable.

On June 26, the federal health agency announced that for the upcoming fall virus virus, it strongly urges vaccination for people in two specific groups — those age 75 and older and those 60 to 74 who are at high risk of severe illness because of chronic health conditions.

That is a change from earlier guidelines, issued last fall, when the CDC advised that people age 60 and older have the option to receive the RSV vaccine, based on discussions with their healthcare provider.

In the June 26 announcement, the CDC director Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH stressed how important it is for adults living in nursing homes to get the RSV vaccine, as they are very susceptible to severe sickness.

The health agency also noted that people who have already received an RSV shot do not need another. The RSV vaccine is not an annual vaccine, meaning people don’t need it every virus season.

Why Did the CDC Revise Its Guidelines?

“It appears the CDC updated the recommendation to ensure those at highest risk for developing severe illness from RSV are being prioritized for vaccination,” says Krutika Kuppalli, MD, spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America and former medical officer at the World Health Organization.

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