Protecting babies from RSV during the holiday season

SALT LAKE CITY — It's that time of year again. More sneezes, more coughs.

Flu is already on the radar for Utah families, and with holiday gatherings coming up, health experts are also watching for RSV.

For babies, even an illness that starts out looking like a cold can be harder to fight off.

"Their immune system is very young. It's very immature, and they don't have the ability to fight off a lot of different viruses," said Carolyn Reynolds, executive director of the ambulatory clinical program at Intermountain Children's Health.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, is the leading cause of hospitalization for infants nationwide. And while Reynolds said cases in Utah are low right now, she expects an uptick in the next few weeks.

"I believe after Thanksgiving, before Christmas, RSV will raise its head, and we will start seeing it around," she said.

RSV can look like a cold at first. Think runny nose, cough, or fever, making it hard to tell if it's RSV or the flu. Reynolds said a pediatrician can help figure out what's making your child sick.

The CDC says to seek medical care if your child is having trouble breathing, isn't drinking enough fluids or has symptoms that are getting worse.

Immunization can help protect babies from severe RSV. Expectant mothers can get the RSV vaccine between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy and pass protective antibodies to their babies. Eligible babies can also get an antibody shot after they're born.

In the 2024-2025 RSV season, 16,000 Utah babies received protection, making them nine times less likely to end up in the hospital.

And kids can get a flu shot starting at 6 months old.

Families can also take simple precautions at holiday gatherings, like washing their hands often and asking guests to avoid kissing the baby's face.

"Don't pass your baby around to lots of people that you don't know if they're sick or not," Reynolds said. "Take care of your kids. Do everything that you can to protect them so that you can have a really great holiday season."

Parents can call their pediatrician's office or county health department to ask about a flu shot or RSV protection for their baby. Most insurance plans cover the RSV shot at no cost, and uninsured families can get it for free through Utah's Vaccines for Children program.