Rhode Island Department of HealthState of Rhode Island
Department of Health
RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year of age in the United States. Data on RSV circulation in Rhode Island is found at health.ri.gov/data/rsv. The data should not be used to calculate rates or case counts.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in one to two weeks. However, some infants and young children are at higher risk, such as premature infants, children younger than two years old with chronic lung disease or congenital (present from birth) heart disease, children with weakened immune systems, and children who have neuromuscular disorders. Additionally, some adults are at higher risk, including people older than 65, adults with chronic heart or lung disease, and adults with weakened immune systems.
With Rhode Island and states throughout the region currently seeing the circulation of several respiratory viruses, including RSV, flu, and COVID-19, all Rhode Islanders are reminded to take basic prevention measures to help themselves and their family members stay healthy and safe.
To help prevent respiratory viruses, Rhode Islanders should:
Talk to your healthcare provider to see if an RSV vaccination is right for you. An RSV vaccine can help protect adults aged 60 years and older from RSV. An RSV vaccine is also recommended for people who are 32-36 weeks pregnant during September through January. CDC recommends you use one of these two tools to protect your baby from getting very sick with RSV:
In addition to the prevention steps listed above, Rhode Islanders should know about the right places to seek care. Hospital emergency departments in Rhode Island are currently very crowded. Children and adults in emergency departments with less serious health issues are experiencing long wait times. People who do not need emergency medical care should not go to the emergency department. Long waits in the emergency department are frustrating, and they expose people to new sicknesses. Many health issues can be treated more quickly and effectively by a primary care provider, in an urgent care facility, or in a health center. The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has lists of primary care providers, urgent care centers, and health centers posted at health.ri.gov/rightplace.