As flu season kicks in, local health-care professionals are recommending you not only protect yourself, but babies and other individuals vulnerable to serious complications from respiratory illnesses.
Dr. Navneet Binepal, chief of pediatrics at Southlake Regional Health Centre, said infants and children should receive a new antibody to build immunity from a respiratory syncytial virus.
Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is highly contagious and the most common cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children. It causes yearly outbreaks and can lead to more serious illnesses like pneumonia and bronchiolitis, which involve swelling, irritation and mucus production in the airway passages in the lungs. The virus can make breathing difficult for babies as they have small airways.
“We are seeing RSV and have been seeing RSV in our ward for several weeks now,” said Binepal. “At any given time, there are a number of patients admitted with RSV.”
According to a Southlake news release, hospitalizations from RSV are eight to 14 times higher than those from other viruses, such as influenza. Early prevention is crucial to protect your child before the peak season hits.
“Almost 100 per cent of children under the age of two will have RSV,” said Binepal. “It represents a virus and illness that affects a lot of children.”
Health Canada has approved two single-dose antibodies, nirsevimab and palivizumab, for infants. Nirsevimab is efficacious through five months of age and may provide full-season protection. Palivizumab has a shorter durability of protection compared to nirsevimab.
Southlake will offer nirsevimab to every baby born in the hospital this year. It plans to launch the antibody this month and into next month before babies go home. Babies born outside of flu season will also qualify for an antibody.
Families with babies born outside the hospital are encouraged to consult their primary care provider to obtain the antibody.
York Region associate medical officer of health Dr. Kathryn Cleverley said you should stay current with COVID-19 and flu vaccines, stay home if sick, and wash your hands more often.
“For a lot of people, these infections are hopefully mild, but there are definitely people at high risk,” said Cleverley.
Vaccines for COVID-19 and the flu are free and will be available at participating pharmacies, doctor and nurse practitioners' offices, walk-in medical clinics, and York Region Public Health clinics as of Oct. 28.
Older adults, young children, people with compromised immune systems, people from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, people with disabilities, and pregnant women are at a higher risk of respiratory illnesses and severe complications, a York Region Public Health news release stated.
“They can cause more severe symptoms,” said Cleverley. “They can cause more severe diseases in the lower lungs, like pneumonia. Some of these people may end up in the hospital and end up with long-term consequences.”
Dr. Cleverley said you should wear a mask if you have an illness and can’t stay home. She recommends wearing a mask in the community at least 10 days after symptoms start and avoiding visiting people at higher risk of severe disease, including those living in long-term care, retirement homes and hospitals.
“Now is the time when people might want to consider masking up in specific situations,” said Cleverley. “That might be if they’re somewhere crowded like transit or a busy shopping centre.”
