Florida's RSV Season Appears Post-Peak

Since most respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity in the United States is initially recorded in the state of Florida, watching for the bending of the curve offers insights regarding future cases. 

As of December 8, 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its RSV detection graphs to display the 5-week moving average. RSV infections typically occur during late fall, winter, and early spring.

There are variations in the timing of RSV outbreaks between regions and communities in the same region.

For Florida, the two charts indicate RSV's peak was in late November 2023.

Separately, the Florida Department of Health reported that as of December 2, 2023, RSV activity was decreasing in hospital admissions, positivity tests, and ER visits.

But, there was an RSV outbreak in Pinellas County.

From a prevention perspective, both RSV vaccines are available at most clinics and pharmacies in Florida. However, the CDC recently confirmed the percentage of seniors receiving an RSV vaccine was just 15.9%.

Unfortunately, the RSV antibody passive immunization for infants, Beyfortus™, remains in limited supply. 

Virtually all children get an RSV infection by the time they are two years old. Most of the time, RSV will cause a mild, cold-like illness. RSV antibodies can help protect children from severe disease from an RSV infection.

RSV can be dangerous for infants and young children. Each year, thousands are hospitalized due to RSV infection, says the CDC.