Overview

• Toddlers with chronic medical conditions are hospitalized for RSV at twice the rate of healthy peers during their first two RSV seasons, according to a decade-long population study in British Columbia.
• Children born extremely prematurely (before 28 weeks gestation) or with multisystem organ conditions face the highest risk of severe RSV outcomes, including prolonged hospital stays and intensive care needs.
• The study highlights waning protection from maternal RSV vaccination by the second RSV season, necessitating direct immunization strategies for at-risk children regardless of maternal vaccination status.
• Researchers analyzed health data from over 430,000 infants, identifying nearly 25,500 with chronic conditions, and found significant healthcare resource utilization among RSV-affected children in this group.
• The findings advocate for expanding RSV immunization policies, including long-acting monoclonal antibodies, to cover children with chronic conditions beyond traditionally defined high-risk groups and into their second season.